Assumptions are the backbone of all strategic initiatives, indeed, most day to day activity. Often these assumptions are implicit, they make sense, we do not even question the assumption, by default they become as good as a fact.
Really good strategic and design initiatives turn assumptions into facts by finding supporting data, and in the absence of the data to make an assumption a fact, it remains an assumption, subject to continual scrutiny.
A really useful first step in any planning process is simply to ensure that any assumptions are exposed for what they are, assumptions, subject to change in the face of new information .
I have given the bird to reading lists. *Twitters madly* 😉
Thanks Lyn, a terrific article, now I will also have to go back and also re-read the HBR article referred to. New Scientist is not generally on my reading list, but some of the stuff they publish is of great interest to a simple old marketer like me. Cheers
Hi Al, Along the same theme, you might find this article by New Scientist interesting: http://bit.ly/vQCEtZ Cheers! 🙂