On October 7th, nearly 20 students and faculty gathered to hear Dr. Miha Vindis, a professor of practice in the department’s public administration program, explore his ongoing research on scenario thinking. Dr. Vindis defined scenario thinking as planning which considers “alternate future scenarios” instead of attempting to establish a single forecast of the future. This process, Dr. Vindis argued, allows participants to identify key drivers of change and prepare to act even in the face of uncertainty.
The talk drew on Dr. Vindis’ extensive experience in the private sector and he gave several examples of his system’s application, including one colorful example in which a brainstorming session he conducted with higher-ups at a steel manufacturing company led directly to the company’s acquisition of a massive refinery.
The talk was illuminating and engaging, with one student noting that Dr. Vindis was “an excellent presenter.” Another student noted that the talk “shed light on the cultural thinking we are ingrained into” and “insightfully demonstrated how to properly consider the future and our thinking.”
Details about the Inklings series can be viewed here. For more information on the series, please contact Dr. Arnold Leder at al04@txstate.edu.
