We believe the following:
|
| • |
Modelling is a discipline that embodies more than knowing techniques. |
|
We believe that there are best practices where it comes to creating a model. A model’s explanatory power and ultimate utility is a function of how the modelling was conducted. |
| • |
Models are embedded inside an organisational context that requires explicit recognition in the modelling process. |
|
Models thrive when they are managed as assets inside an organisational structure that recognises their strengths, weaknesses and ongoing requirements. |
| • |
The act of modelling is more than the development of a model; it is a process that can yield much more than the original objectives envisioned. |
|
Our approach identifies and traps the incidental points of learning that often accommodate the modelling process and we make them part of our deliverables. |
| • |
Modelling transcends subject matter in the purest sense, knowledge of the domain can dramatically improve a modelling project. |
|
Immersion is a key part of our approach to modelling. From the smallest model to the most complex, material model, we take time to absorb and incorporate the pivotal facts and background to any analysis. |
| • |
Every model is a platform for a future model that replaces it. |
|
Two modelling ethics are relevant here:
1) ‘Model with the future in mind’; i.e. take care to identify natural developmental pathways for a model to take in future versions. The best time to put the strengths and weaknesses of a model into context is in the throes of development.
2) ‘Leverage the past’, meaning that the lessons learned in previous model versions can save tremendous time and avoid key errors. In recent projects where we have replaced or upgraded older models, we have taken time to properly review the assumptions and tacit knowledge that attended the previous model build. This approach saves time, minimises key errors and allows the new model to benefit from the judgement of previous developers. |
