Walt Disney and his team used 3 different roles to explore a project thoroughly; the dreamer, the realist and the critic. Each of the roles represents a different angle to look at a project.

1) The Dreamer

In the first ‘room’ everything is possible. The sky is the limit. Everybody should use their imagination and come up with crazy new ideas. Pure divergent thinking without any judgement.

2) The Realist

In the second ‘room’ we think about how to turn those wild ideas into feasible plans. It’s about being pragmatic. In this room we apply convergent thinking and pick the best ideas. After the evaluation (based on some criteria) we create the plan to realise these ideas. We think about what needs to be done to make the ideas come true.

3) The Critic or Spoiler

In the last ‘room’ we take on the role of the devil’s advocate to find out if anything is missing or needed. What are the dangers? The risks? The obstacles? The pitfalls? What could go wrong? etc.  Critics are not negative; they are constructive. Judge the ideas. Edit, improve and reject ideas.

AHA-NZ and its related companies are all built on the foundation of Strategic Foresight.  AHA merges the art and science of Walt Disney’s Brainstorming Methodology of the Dreamer, Realist, and Spoiler with rigorous, lean, and agile Scenario Planning.  We engage world class experts, including Daniel Erasmus founder of the renowned Digital Thinking Network in Amsterdam to systematically develop scenarios which ground our dreaming of the best possible future in the realism of what remarkable people have identified as probable futures.

With sponsorship from industry and government, AHA-NZ is commissioning future gazing into the key economies of Asia Pacific in the age of covid, asking how covid is likely to effect climate change imperatives, and green hydrogen adoption.

Similarly, with sponsorship, AHA-NZ is commissioning future gazing into the NZ domestic economy around the same questions.

In addition to supplying an entire bus, Toyota also supplies its fuel cell and fuel tank components to local bus manufactures, such as Global Bus Ventures in Christchurch, t0 be integrate into their local platforms and local manufacturing to support the transition to fuel cell electric buses.  Note, the current GBV pilot bus does not utilize Toyota technology.

In May 2001, Apple opened its first store launching the most successful retail strategy in the world.  Prior to opening stores, Apple sold through retailers including Sears, and did not know who its customers were unless they filled out a warranty card.  Our Founding CEO, Bob Beth led the tech team that used a big data approach, well before that term came into vogue, to use consumer lifestyle segmentation datasets and modeling to provide Apple with the list of store locations Apple used to launch and ramp its retail strategy.

The world’s first hydrogen fuel cell ferry, Water-go-round, is under construction near San Francisco.  AHA-NZ collaborates closely with the team leading its development including global hydrogen expert, formerly of the venerable U.S. Sandia National Laboratories, Dr. Joseph Pratt, Ph.D. now leading San Francisco-based H2Advisors. 

Our Founder, Bob Beth, on separate visits has hosted New Zealand’s Energy Minister, Hon Dr. Megan Woods and Fullers Ferries CEO Mike Horne touring the vessel under construction.   Mike is leading hydrogen and battery electric vessel innovation to bring a better experience and zero carbon footprint to Fullers’ fleet.  Fullers has engaged AHA-NZ to act as provocateurs to collaborate in developing a bold vision and pragmatic plan for the early transformation of the ferry fleet.