Public service futures

Exploring plausible future scenarios can help organisations gain foresight and develop ‘future-proof’ policies, strategies and services. Scanning the horizon can identify opportunities and challenges and involve people in decision-making.

What we offer

Our tailored ‘strategic futures’ work helps organisations prepare for the future. Our ‘toolkit’ includes:

• horizon scanning: detailed analysis of the evidence on national and local forces, drivers and trends and their implications for an organisation or policy
• scenario development: using robust methodologies we generate a small number of plausible but stretching narratives about the future to highlight possible opportunities and challenges
• participatory processes: working with expert stakeholders (a Delphi survey, for example) or community groups to understand different perspectives on the future
• workshops, collaborations and simulations: bringing together individuals from different backgrounds to work through the implications of the future for action today
• analytical approaches: enriching other strands of work with high quality analysis, for example in the form of trend extrapolation or ‘road-mapping’.

Why choose OPM?

Our experience

OPM has been at the forefront of strategic futures thinking and practice for many years. Since the early 1990s, our team has worked at national, regional and local levels to help public service organisations prepare for an often-uncertain future. From our early ‘whole system’ simulations through to our latest Public Service Futures research project, we’ve built a reputation for innovative, practical approaches that organisations can actually use.

Our approach

A commitment to participation is at the heart of our approach. We’ve learned that important benefits come from the insights of a broad range of stakeholders. In some cases these will be experts or opinion formers, in others they’ll be people from a local community or frontline staff.

We’re adept at understanding an organisation’s context, priorities and targets, and ensuring that futures work is fit for purpose and focused on outcomes. To create impact and be worthwhile, futures thinking must be firmly integrated into the process of developing, implementing and reviewing strategy or policy.

The OPM way

OPM has worked to improve social results for 20 years. We understand public policy and service delivery and we have a wealth of public service experience. We listen carefully to your requirements, assemble a team with the most appropriate skills and then tailor our work to meet your objectives, timescales and budget.

Find out more

If you would like to speak to someone about our evidence-based policy and practice work, email Jon Gibson