Systems Theory

¶ … future search method involves identifying a problem, and then getting everybody involved in the issue together to hash out a response to the problem. There are several elements that underlie the future search. By bringing everybody together for a period of three days, the idea is that solutions can be identified, including implementation. Dialogue helps to establish common ground between the stakeholders, and this serves as the basis for moving forward with a solution (Future Search, 2003). Future search builds on the ideas in systems theory.

Systems theory has been described as a "transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena" (Heylighen, & Joslyn, 1992) wherein different elements interact with each other to create a system. Nothing functions without a system, and the underlying value is interconnectedness. This applies quite well to the future search method. In future search, the different people that are brought together for the conference come from the different elements of the system. They are all stakeholders, but the important thing is that they all need to work together to solve a problem.

In that respect, future search is based on the core ideas espoused in systems theory, relating to the interconnectedness of things in a system. For a problem to be solved, or a strategic direction identified and executed, the different elements of the system will need to be brought together, because they all play a key role. The strategic planning approach, however, is somewhat different from the future search methodology. Superficially, the future search method takes three days, whereas strategic planning is a much longer process.

Strategic planning is also a more iterative, ongoing process. This method focuses on constant back-and-forth communication between the stakeholders, instead of a short burst of intensive dialogue. One of the other elements of future search that is different is that in future search, people talk about themselves sometimes, as a means of introducing their perspective and their interests. Strategic planning is much more directly task-focused. While ultimately both methods seek to identify and solve a problem, they can sometimes take different routes towards this end goal.

The personalities certainly matter less in strategic planning, but these differences can also reflect in different objectives for the two techniques. Future search can be used for more human focused, or even conflict-oriented, situations. This contrasts with strategic planning, which tends to be more the domain of business. Another difference between them is that future search brings everybody together -- the exchange of ideas is central to the process. With strategic planning, the entire planning process usually has a more centralized, controlled feel to it.

There are people at the heart of the organization who are guiding the process, delegating and making decisions. Usually, the future search will be more democratic. The future search will put more power into the hands of the people, and it relies more on the exchange of ideas for its strength. That is not necessarily the case with strategic planning, where the central decision-making figures will make the decisions, but they will also choose the degree of input that others might have into the process.

This leads to perhaps some differences in the uses for these different techniques. Both can be used in the organizational context, but where centralized decision-making is prevalent, strategic planning.