About ‘What If?’

The What If exercise is a three-stage process that helps us to visualise and discuss the changes we want to see, for our community as a whole, or an area of specific focus on such as where we get our food or energy.

1. What Is - invites us to explore what’s already happening, by unpacking what isn’t working, what needs to change and what needs to be retained. 

2. What If - is where we use our Time Machine to fire the collective imagination of the people present to come up with a vision of what could be. 

3. What Next - explores the pathways that can get us from the What If ideas and questions we have generated, to some firm ideas for future actions.  

This process enables collaboration, co-design and specifically allows for tensions to emerge. It helps us to explore different perspectives in our community, and means tensions can be worked through together to develop a sense of shared ownership and solidarity, setting the basis for future change to happen.