Larrainzar Consulting are a small company specialising in the analysis of complex, human centred problems using techniques drawn from Operations Research, many of these techniques are recently more often referred to as Analytics or Data Analytics.

Operations Research involves applying a scientific approach to solving complex real-world problems.

Operations Research makes use of a wide variety of different techniques to help organisations and people solve problems and improve results

These techniques are used to:

Structure Problems so that they can be better understood

Analyse Data so that decisions can be supported by evidence

Develop Models so that options can be explored

Explore Systems so that the best solutions can be uncovered
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Structure Problems

Real-world problems are rarely straightforward, with many complex, inter-related parts.

Understanding the basic structure of a problem is an important step towards understanding how the problem can be solved.

Larrainzar Consulting use a number of different techniques to structure problems for clients.

Sometimes the structuring of the problem is the most important single step of the process.

Sometimes all it takes is to see the problem to be able to solve it.

Analyse Data

Models are of no use without an understanding of the drivers of the system.

Examining data through the use of analytics allows us to understand the relationships between factors for success and outcomes.

Understanding the data on the behaviour of the system is the first step to being able to model the system effectively.

Again, a good deal can be learnt just from getting to this stage in the process. Sometimes the solution to a problem is apparent when the data is viewed in the right way.

Develop Models

Developing a model of the system is the next step. That model can be built quickly and easily using specialist model-building software such as Vensim.

Although originally intended as System Dynamics software, Vensim is in practice a general-purpose modelling language and allows a wide variety of problems to be represented and modelled.

Developing the model can help to generate further understanding of the problem - sometimes it is only apparent upon modelling what some of the most significant and worst understood parts of the problem may be.

Explore Systems

Once a model has been built it can be used to explore the behaviour of the system.

This may be quite simple aspects of the behaviour of the system - sometimes the most important thing is simply to understand that the situation is a system and that the problem can push back when we try to move simplistic levers to change things.

At other times more complex tools such as simulation, optimisation and sensitivity analysis may be needed to explore the behaviour of the system under different policy options.
All models are wrong, the practical question is how wrong do they have to be before they are not usable
George E.P. Box
It is exceedingly difficult to make predictions, especially about the future
Niels Bohr
Larrainzar Consulting Solutions Ltd is registered as a Limited Company at Companies House in England and Wales, Company No: 4444070
Registered Office: 33 The Clarendon Centre, Salisbury Business Park Dairy, Meadow Lane Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2TJ