Use the clustered implications to articulate development challenges in clear, actionable terms. Translate the clusters into actionable development challenges. When framing a development challenge, it is important to provide clarity on:

• What the challenge is (concise name)
• Why it matters (connection to drivers and outcomes)
• How it affects the development context (implications)

Download the Development Challenge Card 

Here's a filled out example of the Migration example we worked through in the Futures wheel in the previous step:

By using the Futures Wheel, teams can:

1. Systematically map the ripple effects of driver outcomes.
2. Uncover systemic risks and opportunities that may not be immediately apparent.
3. Generate actionable insights that can be synthesized into development challenges.

This structured approach ensures a thorough exploration of each driver outcome, creating a robust foundation for identifying challenges and informing strategic planning.

Unlocking unexpected insights

In the process of ‘implication synthesis’, the team might see that food insecurity repeatedly emerges as a second- and third-order implication.

It’s interesting to note that irrespective of whether the driver outcome (an all out conflict, in this case) manifests in the future, this exercise could highlight the poor state of agricultural productivity or the vulnerability of trade routes in the region.

We suggest going through these steps with your team in two workshops, with a break between them to give participants time to reflect on the drivers and their possible outcomes.

Click here for a recap of all the steps 

Click here to for guidance on conducting these workshops