KR6 Consulting provides decision support services for the development of corporate policies and strategies. Such projects are inevitably tailored to the specific needs and constraints of the client, and require a deep understanding of the issues combined with strong facilitation, analysis and synthesis skills. We use a multi-attribute utility analysis methodology, providing a systematic appraisal of the key factors relevant to decision making.

KR6 Consulting has a distinctive ‘data to decisions’ perspective on decision-making for environmental and energy problems, grounded on sound science and systems thinking.

From the systems analysis perspective, we take a structured approach to systematising relevant knowledge and uncertainty, and incorporating this into models containing key couplings and feedbacks that can be used to understand the behaviour of the system as a whole.

From a presentational perspective, we take a pride in synthesising the full range of evidence and lines of reasoning.

From the decision support perspective, we make use of structured approaches, supported – where helpful – by software tools, and embrace meaningful stakeholder and/or public involvement to ensure transparency and recognition of all points of view.

From the scientific perspective, we work in collaboration with universities and research institutes on the planning, interpretation and process modelling of experiments and site investigations to yield results that are useful for decision making.

In particular, management decisions with the potential for long-term consequences demand a structured and deliberative approach. Our view is that it is not sufficient to rely solely on technical knowledge on the one hand or mechanistic decision-making on the other. Rather, we endeavour to combine a logical approach to identifying and evaluating all the relevant factors with a solid technical understanding of the issues. This enables us to ask the right questions and to organise and synthesise the responses to those questions in a way that provides effective guidance to decision makers. The process needs to be transparent, allowing room for deliberation, but at the same time conducted within practical constraints on resources.

Decisions are typically subject to a range of options, benefits, disadvantages and uncertainties. This is particularly the case for complex decisions concerning strategy and optimisation where both the inputs and the outcomes appear uncertain. KR6 Consulting specialises in helping organisations resolve the key elements underpinning complex decisions primarily in areas relevant to our experience.

We have experience of ‘making a difference’ in  designing decision processes that take account of the relevant factors, from organisational requirements through to technical uncertainties, conflicting information, and competing demands from stakeholders. Our decision support consultants combine best practice in stakeholder engagement and meeting facilitation with in-depth knowledge of the underlying technical issues, in order to apply a ‘data to decisions’ philosophy that goes beyond what can be achieved by facilitation expertise alone.

Our experience emphasises the benefit of following systematic approaches to highlight the key factors involved in differentiating between options and justifying decisions. We’re able to provide, valuable insights for complex decisions where the evidence base is highly uncertain, incomplete, conflicting or only partially relevant through decision modelling approaches including Evidence Support Logic (ESL) that is incorporated into our business intelligence software.

As in the financial world, scientifically-based organisations often need to pursue a portfolio of options that take account of a range of constraints and opportunities. Our experienced consultants are able to support such decisions using portfolio selection techniques, and our software development team can develop reporting tools tailored to specific classes of decision.