Secondary Worlds™

A fictional twin framework for exploring amazing opportunities and extraordinary possibilities.

In an ever-evolving business landscape, staying ahead means thinking beyond the conventional. Using Secondary Worlds™, we craft bespoke parallel universes in a narrative research approach to R&D, strategic planning, innovation, and problem-solving.

Without a narrative-driven approach, your strategy risks producing results that are less engaging, less innovative, and less effective in communicating your vision.

Explore another dimension in strategic foresight and innovation.

Where your vision and the world meet.

Secondary Worlds™ is designed to guide you and your teams through the process of building their own fictional twin, leveraging these environments to enhance strategic thinking, problem-solving, and innovation within your organization.

All of our programs begin with an Imagination Sprint™ to clarify and understand your vision for the world you want to build. Then we start creating a fictional twin framework customized for your primary world. Here’s an example…

Week 1: Introduction to Secondary Worlds
Introduce the concept of Secondary Worlds and its relevance to business development and strategic planning.

Week 2: Defining the Twin Parameters
Identify and establish the parameters that define your Secondary World and aligning with your real-world goals.

Week 3: Character and Scenario Development
Develop scenarios and personas that inhabit the Secondary World — stakeholders, competitors, customers, etc.

Week 4: Simulation and Modeling
Simulate business operations within the Secondary World, applying the established parameters and scenarios.

Week 5: Analysis and Insights
Analyze the outcomes of the simulations to derive actionable insights applicable to the real world.

Week 6: Innovation and Strategy Workshop
Leverage insights from the Secondary World to brainstorm innovative solutions and strategies.

Week 7: Implementation Planning
Develop a realistic and actionable plan to implement the strategies and innovations identified in the previous week.

Week 8: Review and Iteration
Review the entire program, gather feedback, and identify areas for iteration and further exploration.

A Secondary Worlds™ framework needs more than a narrative if it’s going to engage internal teams and external audiences. We work with you to produce the right world building artifacts you’ll need to communicate your vision, including:

  • Conceptual art and design

  • Motion graphics and animation

  • Video and audio podcast stories

  • Augmented and virtual reality experiences

  • Live online events

  • …and the strategy to make it all work for you.

Request more information about the framework and how to get started building Secondary Worlds™.

Who is this for?

Secondary Worlds™ offers a structured yet flexible framework that can be adapted to any industry or organization size. The progressive nature of the program ensures that client teams not only understand the concept of Secondary Worlds but also learn how to apply it for tangible business outcomes. By the end of the program, clients will have a robust Secondary World model that can continually inform their strategic planning and innovation efforts.

Why use fiction?

Using fiction to inform reality and long-term strategic planning might initially seem counterintuitive, but it's a practice grounded in speculative thinking that can offer profound benefits for organizational change management and preparedness. Integrating fiction into strategic planning can be incredibly valuable:

  • Encourages Out-of-the-Box Thinking

  • Enhances Scenario Planning

  • Improves Risk Management

  • Facilitates Empathy and Customer Insight

  • Stimulates Long-Term Visioning

  • Encourages Resilience and Flexibility

  • Creates a Shared Language and Understanding

Got questions?

  • A Fictional Twin Framework is an innovative approach that creates parallel, hypothetical environments - or 'Secondary Worlds' - that mirror your organization's reality. It allows your team to safely explore strategic scenarios, test new ideas, and gain valuable insights without the risks associated with real-world experimentation or the time and costs of a digital technology requirement.

  • Your business can leverage this program for strategic planning, risk management, innovation, and market expansion. By exploring scenarios in a risk-free secondary world, you can identify potential challenges, uncover new opportunities, and develop forward-thinking strategies that give you a competitive edge. How will you know the product or service you think you need won’t create new or bigger challenges?

  • Absolutely! The program is tailored to suit any industry. Our team of expert researchers will work closely with you to understand your specific industry dynamics and create scenarios that are both relevant and challenging, providing valuable insights regardless of your field.

  • By practicing in scenario planning and strategic exploration, your business can prepare for market trends, avoid costly pitfalls, and uncover innovative solutions to drive growth and impact. Our approach focuses on the specific value of your return, however you define it and whatever is best for your own economy. You can opt for 10% more on your own. Or you can aim for 10x better with Secondary Worlds™.

  • The program spans 12 weeks and is divided into four phases: Discovery and Research, Concept Development, Scenario Building and Refinement, and Application and Integration. Each phase is designed to build upon the last, culminating in a strategic action plan that applies insights from the secondary world to your real-world business context.