diverge · Ideation, Strategy · 30–60 min · 3-10 people · medium energy

Tomorrow's Narratives

Tomorrow's Narratives is a future-casting ideation technique where participants create fictional articles, blog posts, or other media simulating the launch of a product or service. This helps teams explore possibilities, align on a shared vision, and identify key values and features.

When to use Tomorrow's Narratives

Use this method during ideation workshops or strategy sessions when you need to break free from current constraints and envision the future impact of a product or service.

What it solves

Stuck in current problems, lack of a shared vision for the future, difficulty identifying key value propositions.

How to run Tomorrow's Narratives, step by step

  1. Introduce the concept of Tomorrow's Narratives and explain the goal of creating fictional launch materials. (5 minutes)
  2. Divide participants into small groups and assign each group a specific type of narrative (e.g., news article, blog post, social media campaign). (5 minutes)
  3. Groups create their narratives, focusing on key features, values, and target audience. Encourage creativity and provocative thinking. (30 minutes)
  4. Each group shares their narrative with the larger group. (10 minutes per group)
  5. Facilitate a discussion about the narratives, identifying common themes, potential challenges, and opportunities. (10 minutes)

Materials needed

  • Paper or digital document
  • Pens or keyboards
  • Timer
  • Whiteboard or virtual whiteboard

Facilitator tips

  • Encourage participants to be bold and imaginative in their narratives.
  • Remind participants to focus on the user experience and the value proposition of the product or service.

Common pitfalls

  • Participants getting bogged down in technical details or current limitations.
  • Narratives lacking a clear focus or value proposition.

Variations

  • Use different media formats (e.g., video scripts, podcast episodes).
  • Focus the narratives on specific aspects of the product or service (e.g., marketing, customer support).

Running it online or hybrid

Use a shared document or collaborative whiteboard (Miro, Mural) for teams to write and share their narratives.

What it produces

A collection of fictional articles, blog posts, or other media representing the future launch of the product or service.

Origin

Adapted from IDEO Method Cards (2002) — source

Build a session around Tomorrow's Narratives

METODIC places Tomorrow's Narratives inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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