New Pro Bono OR Project: Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA)

iDEA Project

Mastering runaway success

Project:

Enabling those left behind by the educational system to catch up, by helping iDEA to estimate the resource needed to support the phenomenal success of its exponentially-expanding digital learning scheme.

Project description:

The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA) has been a runaway success. Word of mouth has lead to exponential growth in the number of ‘partners’ promoting it to potential learners (including groups as varied as Barnardo’s, refugee camps, Asda, Wigan County Council), the number of learners, and the number of awards ultimately earnt by learners. It is imperative that a sustainable funding model is put in place to safeguard the future of the programme, and thoughtful insights will be able to help inform the team’s decision making and approach.

The immediate need is for:

• a model of growth in the different user groups,  that can be used to estimate possible future demand over the next 3-5 years, with alternative scenarios
• analysis of iDEA’s data, to calibrate the model and forecast the future demand

to enable the chief executive to estimate resources and costs needed to meet the demand.

If time allows, the model should be developed to estimate costs directly, and to support ‘what-if’ modelling, to enable the chief executive to  assess the consequences of alternatives to the current model of growth and provision.

This project can be undertaken by an individual, but would also suit a team. Skills required:

• familiarity with methods for ‘epidemic’ style modelling, whether system dynamics, agent-based modeling, or other mathematical techniques; as well as with costs modelling
• data-handling skills, and experience of dealing with real-world data and systems
• consultancy skills, to ensure that the issues underlying growth and limiting resource capacity are fullly understood and reflected in the modelling, and to help iDEA use the model for identifying and considering alternatives.

Time commitment:  up to 10 days

Ideally the volunteer would spend: 

• 3 days getting to understand the issue and data, agreeing the ‘project proposal’, and producing a rough, temporary model to support initial thinking
• Up to 7 days building on this to get a fairly-well calibrated model that can support discussion of costs. The quality and detail of the modelling should be limited by the time available, both in terms of the volunteer capacity, and the urgency of the client need – to be agreed between volunteer and client.

Developing the model, as indicated in the project description, could either be undertaken by the volunteer(s) as a continuation, or offered as a separate project.

We are happy to hear from volunteers who can offer less time than this, or who only have some of the skills required, who are willing to work as part of a team.

Location: Most of the project can be carried out remotely. Physical meetings would take place ideally at the start of the project, and at each output stage, for half a day each; but telephone contact is acceptable if necessary. 

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 10^th July.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

iDEA is a programme that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free. Through our series of online challenges and events, you can win career and life enhancing badges, unlock new opportunities and, ultimately, gain industry recognised awards that help you stand out from the crowd. iDEA is about lifelong learning, for anyone who wants to develop their skills. Our learners include school pupils, apprentices, business leaders, pensioners, students and community groups.

For further information about iDEA please visit https://idea.org.uk/ or email kerensa.jennings@royal.uk

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com