Notes on horizon scanning

June 2022

Some notes on what I think makes a scanning function work, based on what I have seen at clients over the last few years.

1. Define the scanning perimeter before you start. Do not let it expand every time somthing new comes out.
2. Separate collection from analysis. The person gathering the material should not also be the person deciding what it means.
3. Review the perimeter on a fixed cycle, otherwise it just becomes a description of whatever you were worried about last year.

Organizations that treat scanning as overhead rather than a core function tend to be the ones that get caught out. Not a new observation but it keeps being relevant.