Community

The strategic and operational services we provide for community services are designed to assist organisations at key stages of an initiative’s lifecycle as well as undertaking evaluations and audits.

Reviews may take into consideration the broader perspective such as the development of new or enhanced strategies, reviewing the strategic alignment of initiatives or responding to community needs. Conversely, reviews may be more focussed such as reviewing performance, effectiveness, efficiency, compliance, value for money, community services, the realisation of benefits and so on.

AOT Consulting can be commissioned to undertake independent reviews, which may be triggered by external events such as government policy or where there is provision in legislation to undertake periodic reviews.

Program and Project Evaluations are similar in many ways to undertaking reviews, though are structured using an agreed framework such as Program Logic.

The scope of such reviews will depend on scope of the program or project that is under consideration and can be based on reviewing key stages of new or enhanced capabilities, reviewing the strategic alignment of initiatives or responding to community needs.

Conversely, reviews may be more focussed such as reviewing performance, effectiveness, efficiency, compliance, value for money, community services, the realisation of benefits and so on.

Our financial modelling and demand modelling services are designed to assist organisations with the development of models that vary in complexity. The service is often included as part of another service such as business case development but can be provided as a standalone service.

The financial models and demand models we develop presents the analysis clearly and succinctly irrespective of the level of complexity. For complex data analysis, we make use of contemporary approaches such as infographics and geomodeling to succinctly present complex data sets.

Feasibility Studies

Undertaking feasibility studies has some similarities to strategic planning, business case development and business planning, from a research and assessment perspective, though often takes a broader view in the first instance to consider if an initiative is worth pursuing further.

Business Case Development

We have assisted many organisations with the development of business cases covering a wide and varied range of initiatives and sectors. We are cognisant when developing business cases that the supporting evidence must substantiate a need whilst clearly setting out the outcomes, benefits and objectives that align to an organisation’s strategic direction. We keep in mind that a sound business case not only needs to demonstrate a need, evaluates options, and substantiate a preferred option but also enables initiatives to be implemented irrespective of who undertakes the next stage.

A key element of developing a business case is to substantiate the benefits and return on investment. Our qualitative and quantitative analytical methods take into account the essential elements to ensure a sound case is prepared to a level that is proportionate to the opportunities and risks.

We are well familiar with various business case frameworks and know what is required to address the essential requirements.

Community Research

Our community research service is undertaken to consider trends, opportunities and influences and designed to research factors created by external environmental issues and to identify community needs and specific trends.

We employ a range of research techniques according to what we consider most appropriate e.g.  surveys, stakeholder interviews, desktop research, publications and references, demand modelling, and inter-jurisdictional comparisons.

We have undertaken small, medium and large market research involving stakeholder consultations at a local, national and international level.

The scope for undertaking analysis of requirements can be wide and varied, depending on its purpose. The most intensive stage of an initiatives’ lifecycle is usually following a business case when detailed specifications of requirements are developed.

Developing new or enhanced capabilities will often necessitate business analysis of processes to be modelled and functional requirements to be identified and considered.

The form in which requirements are documented can also vary and can be positioned as high-level outcomes based requirements or conversely, detailed, prescriptive requirements. We use a range of tools to assist with the design, analysis and development of requirements.

Designing and developing requirements also involves another service AOT Consulting provides – stakeholder engagement and communications, which includes facilitated workshops. Gathering information is an essential ingredient to identifying requirements and engaging with stakeholders individually or through workshops as an integral component.

The development of requirements is an integral component of strategic sourcing and designed to not only to document what is required but also designed in a way that is conducive to issuing the market.

We have developed a comprehensive service designed to evaluate options that take into consideration qualitative assessment, quantitative assessment and risk assessment. This service draws upon various elements of other services we offer such as analysis, financial modelling, community research and facilitation.

The other stage in an initiative’s lifecycle where benefits realisation is considered is after the benefit has reached the point of realisation. Considering the realisation of benefits is therefore part of undertaking reviews.

Benefit realisation is also undertaken to evaluate the success of an overall program and/or project.

The benefits realisation planning and review service AOT Consulting provides is an efficient and effective way to make sure that benefits are identified and can be qualitatively and quantitatively tested.

Benefits realisation is an integral part of developing business cases, which is often when a benefits realisation plan is developed. Developing a benefits realisation plan has many benefits in itself because: