Scenarios of use

A scenario describes a possible future, identifies a larger cultural, technological, social and economic context, presents the main actors and their motivations, and conveys how they will function within that world.

Building and using scenarios can help planners and designers explore what the future might look like, what it means for people to be part of it, what the likely challenges of living in it will be, and what kinds of products and services they might use or need.

Scenario builders usually create sets of scenarios, each one describing a different way in which the the future could play out. They are often written as stories that make potential futures seem vivid and compelling.

Scenarios are intended to form a basis for strategic conversation to help us understand the limitations of our ‘mental maps’ of the world and to inform and critique the design work.