Templates & Tools: Environment Map

TEMPLATES & TOOLS

Practical frameworks to sense, innovate, and lead with clarity.

🧭 ENVIRONMENT MAP

Sense the world around you to uncover opportunity

What is the Environment Map?

The Environment Map is a visual tool used to identify external trends and forces shaping your organisation’s context. It overlays Customer, Technology, and Business domains to uncover opportunity spaces at their intersection. These intersections help innovation teams connect the dots between user needs, technological enablers, and business viability.

Why is it important?

Most organisations focus internally. But in fast-moving environments, real innovation requires outward awareness.

Using this map helps:

• Leaders build strategic foresight and explore new growth areas

• Teams align around relevant trends and focus innovation efforts

• Organisations adapt more effectively to shifts in external forces

  
  

It creates clarity around where to innovate, not just what to execute.

How to use it (step-by-step activity)

Step 1: Frame your focus

Define the domain you're exploring (e.g., Future of Work, Sustainable Cities, etc.)

Step 2: Gather signals across 6 external forces

Invite participants to list key trends in:

• Customer trends

• Social trends

• Political forces

• Economic trends

• Environmental forces

• Technological trends

Step 3: Cluster trends into 3 domains

Group them under:

• Customer

• Technology

• Business

Step 4: Spot intersections

Look for where multiple forces overlap. These represent potential innovation opportunities.

Step 5: Discuss & prioritise

Which intersections are most promising or disruptive? Discuss and document implications.

Who should be involved?

• Cross-functional team members (Marketing, Tech, Strategy, Ops)

• Key decision-makers or sponsors

• External voices (customers, partners) if available

  
  

How long does it take?

• Light scan: 60–90 mins

• In-depth workshop: Half-day to 1 day

• Strategic foresight sprint: Several sessions over 1–2 weeks

  
  

Do's and Don'ts

✅ Do:

• Encourage diverse input and perspectives

• Stay grounded in real-world signals

• Use it to provoke debate, not just list trends

  
  

❌ Don't:

• Focus only on what you already know

• Overlook weak signals

• Treat this as a one-off exercise

  
  

Pro tips

• Use coloured dots to vote on promising intersections

• Combine with tools like SWOT or Business Model Canvas for next steps

• Revisit quarterly as the environment evolves

  
  

Need help facilitating this exercise in your organisation?

Reach out to us to run a customised strategic sensing session.