Imagination is Infrastructure
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Imagination is Infrastructure
A series of valves and tubes representing the "Infrastructure of Imagination" in a science fiction context

Contributed By: Julian Bleecker

Post Reference Date: Apr 20, 2025, 11:37:19 PDT

Published On: Apr 20, 2025, 11:37:19 PDT

Updated On: Apr 21, 2025, 20:52:46 PDT

Summary
There is an evolving shift in strategic thinking. Things are moving away from rigid, top-down approaches and moving towards embracing what we might call “vivid institutional imaginaries” as the new foundation of business and innovation strategy. This shift is well-supported by research that suggests that strategy isn’t simply about predicting the future but actively constructing it through discourse and storytelling, cf Stackelberg & McDowell (2015) Hardy and Thomas (2012).
The use of tools like Design Fiction and speculative scenarios – as demonstrated by companies utilizing “future visions” internally (Michaud, 2023) – allows organizations to explore potential outcomes, test assumptions, and even shape public perception cf Gonzatto et al., 2013.
As Glaser (1994) argued, strategic imagination is crucial for navigating uncertainty. Furthermore, the concept of “strategy as discourse” emphasizes that narratives play a key role in establishing power dynamics and influencing organizational behavior cf Pieczka, 2018. Ultimately, this approach recognizes that the imaginary – often fueled by science fiction – isn’t merely decorative but represents a vital infrastructure for strategic action and future-oriented leadership.
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Imagination Is Where Strategy Begins

  1. If your organization is still treating strategy as a rational, top-down process — a tidy roadmap plotted with bullet points and milestones — boy, you’re missing the moment.

  2. The world is changed.

  3. Certainty is a mirage.

  4. What we need now are vivid imaginations powerful enough to orient action when certainty runs out and the road that you thought was all mapped out for you just disappears.

  5. Imagination isn’t a distraction from strategy.

  6. Imagination is the bedrock of strategy.

  7. Design fiction, speculative storytelling, worldbuilding…

  8. These are not creative side-projects.

  9. They are tools for leaders who understand that innovation starts in the imagination and that the future belongs to those who know how to imagine into the unknown.

  10. Here we make the future legible to help guide your strategy.

  11. We do that by excavating your possible futures

  12. We catalyze lateral thinking by making speculative scenarios tangible

  13. We use design and science fiction methodologically to explore strategic blind spots and identify valuable opportunities

  14. Because Imagination isn’t fluff.

  15. Imagination is Strategy. It is the Infrastructure of the enterprises that survive.

  16. Time to find your future.

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