---
title: "Lessons from Evernote: Scenario Planning and Design Strategy"
description: Scenario planning and trend analysis is becoming increasingly important to stay ahead of competitors and to offer the most value for prospective and current customers.
---

[SME Strategy Leadership, Management and Strategy ](https://www.smestrategy.net/blog)

# [Lessons from Evernote: Scenario Planning and Design Strategy](https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/lessons-from-evernote-scenario-planning-and-design-strategy)

 Written by [Anthony Taylor](https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/author/anthony-taylor) | June 16

 As technology changes and companies are forced to adapt to general uncertainty as far as trends go, organizations must strike a balance within their strategic planning to incorporate innovation and scenario planning. This will help them cater to both existing consumer needs, as well as their internal business needs in the future.

In this [HBR ideacast, the CEO of Evernote](http://ec.libsyn.com/p/a/6/c/a6c95063f0034f95/467__Evernotes_CEO_on_the_New_Ways_We_Work.mp3?d13a76d516d9dec20c3d276ce028ed5089ab1ce3dae902ea1d06cb8333d9cb5d8940&c_id=9084911) shares how changes in how people work affect design thinking in their industry as well as all other areas of productivity.

As organizations move from working in offices close together to spreading out over distances and using communication technologies like Slack, video conferencing, the cloud, and wearable technologies, teams need to adapt their views on productivity and working together. 

This in-turn will change consumer preferences for many industries including fast food, clothing, automotive, and of course technology (to name a few)

All things considered, companies need to look at these changes in technology and societal preferences  (T and S of the [PESTLE framework](https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/pestle-6-areas-for-opportunities-and-threats-for-your-business)) to evaluate what that means for their company in the future and what changes need to be initiated today.

For more on this topic, see [7 questions on scenario planning ](http://www.inc.com/paul-schoemaker/7-keys-to-scenario-planning.html)from INC Magazine. 

Organizations that are able to incorporate scenario planning into their strategic plans will be more successful than their competition who may not know how to adapt if they hit unexpected roadblocks along the way. 

 

*For more information on scenario planning and how to incorporate it into your organization, *  
*contact us for a consultation: *

[View full post](https://www.smestrategy.net/blog/lessons-from-evernote-scenario-planning-and-design-strategy)

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