Why You Need a Horizon Scan: Stay Ahead of Change
The world is changing faster than ever. Horizon Scanning helps you stay ahead—before change blindsides your organization.
What Is a Horizon Scan?
A Horizon Scan is a strategic foresight method that identifies emerging trends, weak signals, and potential disruptions across multiple domains. It helps leaders anticipate change before it becomes urgent—so they can plan, act, and invest with confidence.
One of the most widely used models for this is STEEP, which stands for Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, and Political. By exploring signals across these five categories, you build a broad and balanced picture of what's changing—and why it matters.
Why Use Horizon Scanning?
Horizon scanning isn't just a research task—it's a competitive advantage. Whether you're in business, government, or research, a regular horizon scan helps you connect the dots between today's shifts and tomorrow's outcomes.
- Spot early signs of disruption
- Uncover opportunities before competitors do
- Align leadership around external change
- Reduce risk by seeing what others overlook
- Make more adaptive, resilient strategies
Understanding the STEEP Framework
The STEEP model helps you explore signals across five dimensions:
| Domain | What It Covers | Example Signals |
|---|---|---|
| Social | Demographics, culture, behavior, education | Rise in digital nomadism |
| Technological | Emerging tech, automation, infrastructure | Breakthroughs in AI model efficiency |
| Economic | Markets, business models, labor, trade | Surge in circular economy startups |
| Environmental | Climate, biodiversity, sustainability | Increased heat-mapping in cities |
| Political | Policy shifts, regulations, global dynamics | Growing debate over AI regulation |
Using this structure ensures a comprehensive scan—no blind spots.
How Often Should You Run a Horizon Scan?
That depends on your context—but here are common guidelines. Frequent scanning leads to better pattern recognition and faster decision-making. Waiting too long can mean reacting instead of leading.
Quarterly
For fast-moving industries like tech or finance
Biannual
For strategic planning cycles
Annually
For slower-changing fields or government policy reviews
Continuously
For innovation teams or when using automated tools like Signals
What Can a Horizon Scan Be Used For?
Horizon scanning supports key initiatives. Whether you're preparing a 10-year roadmap or crafting next quarter's strategy deck, a well-run scan provides credible, contextual input.
Why Use Signals by Envisioning?
Most scans are static. Signals makes horizon scanning dynamic, fast, and customizable. At Signals by Envisioning, we combine domain knowledge with the latest AI models to help organizations generate STEEP-based scans in minutes—not months.
Signals brings foresight into the flow of work—whether you're a foresight pro or a strategy team just getting started.
Examples of Signals in Action
Explore sample insights in each STEEP category. These aren't just headlines—they're signals of change that matter for your next decision.
FAQs
How are Signals scans different from traditional reports?
Signals scans focus on early signals and weak indicators, not just well-known trends. We use AI to identify emerging patterns that traditional research often misses.
What if I'm not a foresight expert?
Tools like Signals make it easy to start scanning, even without formal training. Our AI-powered platform guides you through the process with strategic frameworks and actionable insights.
Can I use this for a client or internal team?
Absolutely. Scans are often used in workshops, leadership sessions, product planning, and strategic presentations. Our reports are designed to be stakeholder-ready.
How do I know if a signal is credible?
Signals provides comprehensive source analysis, pattern validation, and generative assessment to evaluate signal credibility and strategic relevance.
How often should I run scans?
It depends on your industry and strategic needs. Fast-moving sectors benefit from quarterly scans, while others may scan annually or during major planning cycles.
Can I customize scans for my industry or region?
Yes. Signals allows you to customize scans by industry, geographic focus, time horizon, and specific strategic questions relevant to your organization.
Analysis Categories
Best For
Comprehensive scan across STEEP domains to identify emerging trends and disruptions
If your work depends on understanding what's coming, horizon scanning is essential.
Vision Scan
Generate transformative future scenarios and strategic visions to guide long-term organizational direction
Sentiment Scan
Decode generational attitudes, cultural shifts, and perception trends that shape market dynamics and social movements
Competitive Analysis
Advanced competitive intelligence that reveals strategic moves, market positioning, and emerging threats before they impact your business
Ready to Scan the Horizon?
Make your next strategy more resilient. Start with a smarter, faster horizon scan today.