We can’t solve new challenges with old ways and means.
In 2022 and beyond, the world isn’t largely anymore in what many of us would consider by using the term normal (“ordinary or usual; the same as would be expected”). The issues businesses face in today’s complicated and constantly changing environment are complex and messy.
We live in a system of problems, where the different aspects of the problems themselves are alive and revealed in emergence. This presents both opportunities and challenges to the decision makers and doers. These new challenges can’t be solved with the old ways and means. Therefore, discovering opportunities needs a fresh new point of view as well.
In the past, one of the most foundational forecasting methods has been quantitative/numeric data and metrics logged in various spreadsheets. However, this approach isn’t future proof or meaningful alone because there is no data on the future — our future is made by the decisions we make today. To make sense of the world in flux around us, we need to find ways to shorten the odds and make the best decisions for the context and situation we’re in.
This is where we come to play. Over the years, we found ourselves working with our clients to apply design methods to their unknown business territories. We are known for our unique way of doing things and knowledge of operating in uncertain and challenging times.
What does this mean, then?
During the past two and a half years, we have identified three common issues businesses face in their daily work, with the following symptoms:
- High-level strategies are not integrated into daily work
There is no lack of vision or strategies, but they are near impossible to thrive without common understanding or shared direction. - Strategies and visions remain either too fluffy or incremental
Between the master visions and specific operational activities exist various organisational layers. These form the most important middle ground for a company to thrive. - Lack of alignment, ownership in the big picture and portfolio approach.
Instead of teams working in parallel towards a shared, common goal, different business units work almost as they were separate organisations.
Our ethos is that strategic design builds resilient businesses — ones that decide their future based on focused direction and considered action, not putting out dumpster fires.
We are confident the business leaders of tomorrow need to understand what the future means to them and why they must think differently. So, during this spring, we will dive deeper into each of these symptoms and share our expertise on how to untangle the complexity of finding meaning and sustainable growth in the volatile business environment.
Jutta Johansson and Sami Niemelä are design strategists at Nordkapp.
If you’ve read this far… What do you think about this theme? Want to hear more about the background and the approach? How would this approach work in your organisation and business?
Ping us at info@nordkapp.fi to book a free 45 min discussion slot / mini workshop with Sami & Jutta.
