The problem
Complex decisions, made by eye.
Plans, shifts, stock or routes decided in spreadsheets and from experience.
Every new constraint means redoing the plan by hand.
Nobody knows what the current choice costs compared with the alternatives.
Our contribution
Planning means choosing between alternatives that compete for limited resources. We translate the decision into variables, objectives and constraints: available capacity, calendars, priorities, inventory, sequences or service levels. We distinguish limits that must be respected from preferences that can be negotiated, and check whether the data describes the process at a useful level of detail. The formulation is reviewed with the people who will use and evaluate the plan.
We select optimisation or simulation models according to the question, uncertainty and time available for a decision. Scenarios make demand, timing and resource assumptions explicit, revealing feasibility and trade-offs between objectives. Comparison with known cases and sensitivity analysis help explain how strongly a proposal depends on its inputs. Where constraints leave no feasible solution, we make the conflict visible. The model supports operational judgement while responsibility for the decision remains with the business.
What the work covers
Resource allocation
We compare assignments of capacity, materials or people, accounting for availability, compatibility and operational priorities.
Plans and sequences
We represent calendars, precedence and setup times to assess feasible plans within the agreed constraints.
Inventory and service levels
We examine replenishment and coverage policies against demand variability, supply lead times and capacity limits.
Scenarios and sensitivity
We vary assumptions and parameters to identify bottlenecks, trade-offs and conditions that change the relative value of alternatives.
What takes shape
Practical work products, scoped to the engagement.
- The problem
- The analysis
- The result
| # | Work product | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Problem formulation | Documented objectives, variables, constraints and assumptions, reviewed with operational stakeholders. |
| 02 | Model and scenarios | An optimisation or simulation model with explicit inputs and comparable alternatives. |
| 03 | Decision comparison | A summary of feasibility, trade-offs and sensitivity for discussing options and the model’s limitations. |
Six stages
The assessment path
Find out whether an operational decision can improve with a model, and whether it is worth trying.
A bounded engagement, with scope and fee agreed before work begins. If you go ahead with the project, the assessment fee is deducted from the follow-on engagement.
| # | Stage | Problem formulation | Data assessment | Feasibility result and plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Problem definition with the decision makers: objectives, constraints, success criteria. | yes | no | no |
| 02 | Translating the decision into a model: decisions, objective, constraints, data needed. | yes | no | no |
| 03 | Review of the available data: demand, capacity, times, costs; gaps and quality. | no | yes | no |
| 04 | Choice of approach: optimisation, simulation or heuristic rules. | yes | no | yes |
| 05 | Feasibility test on a reduced case, compared with current practice. | no | no | yes |
| 06 | Benefit estimate and a plan for using the model in operations. | no | no | yes |
What you receive
- A
- Problem formulation
- B
- Data assessment
- C
- Feasibility result and plan
Two ways to start.
01 · Free data check-up
Start with a data check-up.
About an hour online, a written summary within five working days. No cost, no obligation.
- 01RequestAsk for the check-up through the contact form.
- 02Online meetingAbout an hour to trace systems, sources, reports and weak points.
- 03Written summaryWithin five working days: current situation, issues and recommended path.
- The situation
- The issues
- The path
02 · Service assessment
Go straight to the assessment.
If you already know this service is the one, we start with the six stages below.
- 01Problem definition with the decision makers
- 02Translating the decision into a model
- 03Review of the available data
- 04Choice of approach
- 05Feasibility test on a reduced case, compared with current practice
- 06Benefit estimate and a plan for using the model in operations