Futures Finland company visit: An Insight into VR's Futures Work
In the fast-paced world of transportation, staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage but a necessity. Recently, members of Futures Finland got an insider's view into the future of transportation, during a company visit to VR Long-distance Traffic. Led by Tiina Honkanen and Essi Vasara, the event provided insight into VR's approach to futures work and strategic planning.
Starting with day-to-day operations, Tiina discussed VR's internal communication channel, which serves as a platform for sharing weak signals, futures thinking resources, readings, and courses, fostering futures literacy among employees. She also presented several case examples of futures workshops conducted at VR Long-distance Traffic, such as the Three Horizons visioning workshop and Strategic Serendipity ideation session. The "Train Travel 2072" project, marking VR's 160th anniversary, is one of VR’s most ambitious futures project to date. Drawing on insights from research and collaborative workshops involving children and youth, VR envisioned a desirable future for train travel. By involving young voices, VR not only anticipates the needs of its future customers but also cultivates futures literacy among the younger generation.
Essi then shifted the focus to scenario work for strategic planning — a critical aspect for a company like VR, heavily invested in long-term projects. VR’s 7-step process involves tools like horizon scanning, stakeholder interviews, PESTEL analysis, and Futures Table. Four resulting scenarios include a wildcard scenario, which injects an element of unpredictability and challenges conventional thinking. Tiina and Essi emphasized how this scenario-building process leveraged collective intelligence within the company and allowed for a more holistic perspective on future challenges and opportunities. These scenarios are deeply embedded into VR's strategy, with initiatives already in progress to address anticipated risks and opportunities.
During this visit, members of Futures Finland gained an understanding of how VR Long-distance Traffic integrates futures work into its operations, from everyday communication to strategic foresight projects. Looking ahead, Futures Finland will continue this series of company visits to help our members build knowledge about futures work and its applications in various industries. If you're interested in hosting us or have suggestions for companies to visit, please reach out to us at info@futuresfinland.com.