NPC 2026 Session: Navigating Uncertainty—Using Strategic Foresight for Action-Oriented Planning

This session will be presented by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy at the American Planning Association’s National Planning Conference.

Planners are fielding more “what-if” questions than ever as residents and local officials cope with increasing uncertainty and rapid change. Scenario planning is a systematic approach to answering these questions and kickstarting conversations with stakeholders about possible futures and their implications for today’s better decisions. These foresight tools can help planners create more flexible, resilient strategies to achieve local goals, come what may.

This presentation highlights how the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is using horizon scanning and exploratory scenario planning to define a long-term vision (the Century Plan) in a large, complex metropolitan region composed of seven counties, 284 municipalities, and 8.5 million residents. CMAP is considering drivers of change and an understanding of regional systems—including transportation, natural resources, and the economy—to explore the grand challenges and strategic responses that should define the region’s next era. Presenters explore how these tools are bringing foresight into planning and discussions for bold regional action. Learn how CMAP engaged with elected leaders and other planners, and how you can use resources from state and regional agencies to encourage local officials to shift to a horizon-based mindset.