Note to Participants

The future of data is relevant to all of RBI

whether in a data specific business or not
This module will:
Share some potential future data scenarios
for discussion how might these affect your
business or function?
Introduce the technique of scenario planning
as a useful and broadly applicable tool
This document contains the agenda for the webinar
and suggested pre reading

RBI
Delivering Management Excellence
C2: The Future of Data
Pre-reading

Webinar Agenda 9th April 2015

Introduce the concept of scenario planning, tool sets and walk through a worked example
(20 mins)
Discuss alternative scenarios (30 mins)

Which other uncertainties?

What other outcomes?
What are the implications for:

RBI and its Markets and Functions

Content & Systems etc.

Discuss applicability and practical use of the tools (10 mins or as time allows)

Tchen & Company

Background reading- Future of data

Scenario Planning

Endless reading is available on big data, data journalism,

pervasive computing, the internet of things and on (and on and
on)
While a working knowledge of all these areas is a basic
requirement for any RBI manager the vast majority of information
will give you little perspective in the real implications for RBI, your
function and yourself. In other words so what?
In this module you will learn to use the classic technique of
scenario development to synthesise information about the future
of data into a number of data scenarios and then use those to
investigate the implications for the company, your function

Optional Reading (its worth it!)

Mary Meeker

Annual must read presentation from the best known

technology/internet/data analyst

http://www.kpcb.com/internet-trends

New data businesses

Scenario planning was in large part developed by the planning

function at Shell (Royal Dutch Shell) in the 60s it came to the
fore after the oil shock of 1973 in which major uncertainties
came to pass
The technique is used to explore possible futures based on the
major relevant uncertainties (rather than obvious or secular
trends)
Scenario planning became a management fad in the 70s and 80s
when it became over complex and dogmatic

More recently it has re-emerged in a lighter form not least

because the world is even more uncertain now than in the past

Shell has never abandoned scenario planning one of your first

tasks is to read their current scenarios
3

Which trends look clear, which ones important but very

uncertain?

Spend some time looking at these emerging

companies what is driving their growth? What trends
are they betting on?

http://www.tableausoftware.com

http://www.qlik.com

http://www.splunk.com

Scenario planning

Look at the current Shell Scenarios

http://
www.shell.com/global/future-energy/scenarios/new-lens
-scenarios.html

Look in the appendix to appreciate how these are

constructed