See how OR is making an impact on the other side of the world (IFORS Article)

Make sure you check it this article in the latest IFORS newsletter. See how community OR makes an impact as an agent of change.

More articles can be found at http://ifors.org/newsletter/ifors-news-sept2017.pdf 

Are you interested in joining and/or helping set-up an OR Society special interest group exploring ‘Information and Cyber Security?’

Are you looking to share your knowledge of cyber security? Or looking looking to get to know it?

The OR Society are looking to start a new special interest group invested in Information and Cyber Security, and are currently looking to recruit committee roles and SIG followers. 

A call to action from Dan Tilley FORS:

'I (Dan Tilley) have recently joined the cyber security community, having spent 16 years working in the defence community (including aspects of cyber warfare), in a big way. I am looking to help develop the relationship between Operational Research and Cyber Security by helping to set-up and run a  successful special interest group. I have a long history with the Operational Research Society, having helped organise a number of conferences with them and sat on council.'

If you have an interest in cyber or information security, and how we may apply Operational Research in investigating and solving the challenges of cyber security then this is the special interest group for you. We expect to be covering topics such as: Attack types, Vulnerabilities, Analytics, Machine Learning,  and Artificial Intelligence among many others.

For more info please send an expression of interest email to Dan Tilley at daniel.tilley275@gmail.com

OR Group of Scotland Event with guest speaker Ruth Kaufman

The OR Group of Scotland will be hosting an event this week with a talk from our very own OR Society President, Ruth Kaufman.

President of the Operational Research Society

Speaker: Ruth Kaufman OBE, FORS, FIMA


Abstract: The OR Society, with around 12 FTE staff and a turnover around £1million, falls definitely into the ‘S’ subset of SMEs. With 3,000 members, it is pretty small as far as learned societies go, as well. But its reach, impact and ambitions are disproportionately great. Part of this discrepancy is explained by the nature of OR itself: its massive power to transform and improve, even whilst most people who benefit from it have never heard of it, and many people who work in the field hesitate to define it. In this talk, I will review some aspects of the current position of the ORS and of OR in the UK and discuss how the ORS and OR professionals can best capitalise on our strengths and opportunities.

Biography: Ruth Kaufman, a `Companion' of the OR Society, became President of the Society in January 2016. Like many other members of the OR Society, she fell into O.R. by accident, in her case having taken a maths BA in the School of Social Sciences at Sussex University. This led to a long career in public sector O.R. and wider management at London Transport, London Electricity, Department of Health and Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD). At ECGD, she joined the Executive Board, having responsibility for strategy and change management as well as leading an influential OR group. In the voluntary sector, Ruth chaired a small charity, Woman's Trust, for five years and was a founder member of the OR Society's Pro Bono Scheme. Ruth is currently (amongst other things), Advisor to the Finance Committee at the National Federation of Women's Institutes, a visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics and a freelance consultant and advisor. She was awarded an OBE for 'services to Operational Research' in the 2016 New Year's Honours list.


Time: 28th Sep, 2017, 4.30pm

Venue: SW204, Strathclyde Business School, 199 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G40QU


If you'd like to attend the event then head over to this link and register for free
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/management-scienceor-society-seminar-ruth-kaufman-president-of-or-society-tickets-37643321187 

For any queries or for further info please email ashwin.arulselvan@strath.ac.uk

OR59: Pro Bono Consultancy Tips and Tricks

In case you missed it, The Operational Research Society held its OR59 annual conference last week at Loughborough University. With more streams than the Isle of Arran, it's safe to say everybody's needs were catered for. Pro Bono got stuck in, investing must time in the Grand Challenges, OR in Consultancy and Third Sector Modelling.

There was a theme than ran throughout the 3 days of the conference, and that was a general sense of community; not only were we there to recognise and celebrate the accomplishments already achieved by OR affiliates, but we were also there to ensure that the growth of the OR community is sustainable. Expert knowledge is not the only thing that everyone at the conference had it common, people also shared the motivation to utilize OR to create a better future. If you're new to the OR community, as am i, then the conference teaches us that the OR community has a strong sense of identity and your invited to explore all of the common interests. 

As much as I'd like to report back on all of the talks I was able to indulge in, unfortunately my time is limited, and so is my OR knowledge! But there are a few lessons I took away which are important to share among our community within Pro Bono. The great thing about Pro Bono is it's slim criteria in order to get involved. Our volunteers range from young to OR analysts and practitioners to the extremely accomplished, and the not-for profits we work with range from start-ups to well established registered charities. With everybody in the mix, its no wonder my predecessor has done such a wonderful job in growing the Pro Bono scheme, the diverse involvement makes for a great equation that equals success. 

Having never heard of Operational Research until six months ago, I recognise entry into the OR community can be overwhelming, With all that knowledge comes great power, and when you meet so many people who strive to constantly improve their knowledge, suddenly you find yourself feeling overwrought. It's the equal measure of excitement that makes you want to explore every avenue in the OR community, mixed with enough nervousness to make you second guess every thought that comes to mind. 

If your familiar with OR but new to Pro Bono then we still have plenty of teachings for you. In case you missed the conference then here are some slides created by our very own Ian Seath and Jane Parkin, with advice on the Pro Bono process. On day 2 of the conference, Ian and Jane ran a workshop which provided some hints and tips for Pro Bono volunteers. The things we learnt include a list of considerations when preparing for an initial meeting with a client, as well as how learning how to overcome obstacles and challenges that may arise during a project. Importance was placed on the need to continuously refer back to the project definition and objectives, identifying the needs of the client during every step of the process. Feel free to download the slides and get involved in the scenarios we looked at during the workshop.     

Link to Pro Bono Consultancy Tips   https://www.dropbox.com/s/gbfwprqw2veca26/Pro%20Bono%20OR%20and%20Consultancy%20Tips.pptx?dl=0,    

Also available, a complete plan on the kind of things to consider ahead of a kick-off meeting https://www.dropbox.com/s/2z356z76y8n9bvq/Example%20kick%20off%20meeting%20plan%20final.docx?dl=0

If you'd like to see any particular aspects of the Pro Bono application or project process to be covered with guidance from our veterans then please email hope.meadows@theorsociety.com with all queries. 

DoctOR will see you now

YHORG are hosting an event and you're invited!

YHORG are hosting a talk with guest speaker Charles Tallack. Content shows just how much OR is putting new life into the NHS. Discussion includes, approach and techniques, challenges faced, and the impact being made.

“… we will expand NHS operational research, RCT capability and other methods to promote more rigorous ways of answering high impact questions in health services redesign. “

OR doesn’t often get a mention in a national government strategy document, so this statement from the 2014 NHS Five Year Forward View, the blueprint for redesign of the NHS, is both exciting and daunting. Charles Tallack was subsequently appointed to set up and lead the NHS England Operational Research and Evaluation Unit. His team is contributing to the transformation of the NHS, and evaluating the impact that new models of care being piloted are having. They are modelling how the changes are supposed to work, and testing these models using advanced analytical techniques. 

Charles will talk about the pioneering approaches the team are taking and the impact they are having on the issues and challenges facing the NHS, and how he’s come to see OR and evaluation as natural bed fellows.

When? Wednesday 27th September 2017

Where? West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, LS2 7UP

Time? 5.30pm - 7pm

Places are limited so please contact Sarah Fores sarahfores@gmail.com to book a place asap.

Free time is precious. Why become a Pro Bono OR volunteer?

Some say that volunteering is priceless, and they’re right. Except for the times when I can put a price on it! In 2017 to-date, pro bono OR volunteers input equates to £57,000.00 in billable hours. Those hours include aiding organisations seeking to improve operations, ration resources or measure impact, all of which lead to long term success. With OR solutions being provided through free consultancy, we are handing over both transparency and sustainability, two things I’m sure we’d like to see move of in the UK. 

We all know and love the basic motivations of volunteering, we know the spiel that informs us we are part of something good and we’re making a difference to something that is usually bigger than all of us. If you work with individuals from a charity, then you have also heard about just how much you can change that person’s life, whether it be a child who is struggling to invest in their childhood, or an elderly person who struggles to stay sociable; spending time with these individuals is a responsible thing to do. There is a whole underworld of motivations to volunteer and pro bono OR can make them all available.  

There’s a generic volunteer role in the charity sector that lets you productively procrastinate, but there’s something that charitable organisations don’t tell you as they attempt to sign you up and demand all your free time. They don’t tell just how self-full volunteering can be. Volunteering can help you work on ‘the self’ in so many more ways than advertised. Did you know that volunteering is actually good for your health? Not kidding. Research studies have shown that volunteering forces us to spend time thinking about others. When the spotlight is on someone else you tend to think less about your own situation and this incurs a decrease in stress levels. The effects of contentment lead to a better immune system as well as more logical thinking when returning to matters in your own life. But I’m no doctor, so go and see the effects for yourself.  

The good news is that beyond the role of ‘volunteer’, being an OR volunteer provides even more value to personal gain along with your project impact. Pro Bono OR volunteers get to take a holistic approach to tackling problems. You get to use a range of OR techniques whilst gaining consultancy experience and boosting your CV. Pro Bono projects are with organisations who strive to reach charitable aims and objectives, so the best part is you get to work on a worthwhile cause. Pro Bono projects provide a mutually beneficial relationship for the volunteer and the charitable organisation. Well what does The OR Society get out of it then? Glad you asked. By providing free consultancy to third sector organisations and pairing OR analysts on suitable projects, we continue the advancement of knowledge and interest in OR. That’s more than enough for us.   

What else does pro bono OR add to the volunteering experience? Well, with the guidelines in place, for all parties, it means we are able to control the risks. You are given an environment in which to find real solutions and improvements, and can adapt the project to treat the organisation as an individual. Every charity and social enterprise is different. Although third sector organisations face similar challenges and must contend with constantly moving boundaries, the wants and needs of every group is different; we identify every organisation as an individual. Nowadays, the charity sector is expected to do more with less and that is why volunteers are the most important resource community organisations have.

  

We currently have over 600 pro bono volunteers that are actively looking for projects. I’m afraid to tell you that I don’t have 600 projects for volunteers to work on, but the good news is that when you’re not on a project, you’re free to explore the OR community that The OR Society has built. As a volunteer you get to expand your network, meet and greet other analysts in both similar and diverse fields to you. As a pro bono volunteer you’re invited to several events throughout the year, and if we don’t host an event that grabs your attention, then simply let me know what captivates you and I can put it on my agenda. Getting onto that VIP list entitled ‘pro bono volunteers’ gives you the opportunity to explore OR and everyone in it. With over 160,000 charities in the UK, I’m sure we can find a project for you.

The benefits of being an OR volunteer continue. I’m not saying that being selected to work on a project is the best day of your life, all I’m saying is, your wedding day has nothing on the excitement these projects bring. Pro Bono projects provide real-world experience. If you’re looking to exercise old skills then this is the environment for you. Furthermore, if you want to learn new skills, whether it be OR techniques, consultancy or project management then this is still the environment for you. Employers highly rate individuals who display a range of soft skills, and pro bono projects are a perfect opportunity to show these. You’re welcome for the career boost. It’s what we’re here for.  Don’t forget, regardless of your motivations and/or experience, if you’d like to work on a project but need a confidence boost to get you through it then I can provide a mentor for you. Pro Bono OR supports and encourages you no matter what stage of your OR journey you are at. 

For more info about volunteering please visit http://www.theorsociety.com/Pages/Probono/volunteers.aspx, 

or email hope.meadows@theorsociety.com