Prioritising your options & deciding where to focus...early

Our core offering is to help clients, who are embarking on a programme with a wide scope and large number of stakeholders (and hence a large number of potential options or threats), to decide where to focus their often limited time & resources for maximum benefit. To do this we have developed and refined a methodology consisting of 4 stages, each employing a combination of standard strategy consulting techniques (e.g. structured interviews) and specialist analysis techniques (e.g. causal mapping & system dynamics modelling).

Each stage is designed to deliver value in its own right. Hence, depending on the client's requirements, they may well have achieved the insights, buy-in & guidance without the need to complete all 4 stages. 

Most of the programmes we are involved with look at how to prioritise between a large number of options or threats. However, on occassion we have been asked to help analyse a problem where no specific options or threats have been identified due to the complexity of the situation. For these programmes we help stakeholders generate new ideas by using the Business Operational Shock (BOS) framework. 

BOS is a development of processes used in military intelligence to plan operations and focuses on only the events & processes that are critical to a problem or desired state. It involves creating a framework (or hierarchy) of critical elements, each of which consist of three parts; Effects, Generators & Controllers. Workshops are then run to get stakeholders to think of specific changes to each of these parts, ensuring that every potential part of the critical processes are considered for alternatives.

BOS generates potential solutions to the most critical issues quickly and efficiently, particularly when there are significant constraints on new ideas. These solutions can then be included as the options that are run in the "Capability modelling" part of methodology.