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SUMMARY:Operational Research (OR) and Design - Dr. Geoff Royston\, Preside
 nt of the OR Society
DTSTART:20130320T140000Z
DTEND:20130320T151500Z
UID:TALK43557@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Alexander Komashie
DESCRIPTION:Operational Research (O.R.) a.k.a Management Science  is often
  described as being about using analytical and modelling methods to inform
  management decisions. That is quite correct\, as far as it goes. But it d
 oes not go far enough\, O.R. is typically concerned with improving the per
 formance of complex enterprises – organized dynamic systems of people\, 
 material and non-material resources. This is not just a matter of informin
 g management decisions  -  a lot of O.R. work is focused as much\, if not 
 more\,  on improving system design.  (The tagline for O.R.\, “the scienc
 e of better”\, hints at something that goes beyond decision support – 
 O.R. as “system improvement science”.). \n\nThe talk will address:\n- 
  the recognition of the importance of design for operational research and 
 management science by early luminaries such as the Nobel laureate Herbert 
 Simon and the management thinker Russ Ackoff\n - the development\, partial
 ly in recognition of this importance \, of what came to be called “soft 
 O.R.”\n- the fact that\, despite the above history\, design thinking is 
 not widely regarded as a foundation stone of operational research and some
  reasons for this. \n- the interesting reciprocal history of O.R. in the d
 esign world\n- the different approaches of designers and scientists to sol
 ving the same problem and the need for combining “left brain” and “r
 ight brain”  thinking\n- the need for training and development in O.R. t
 o give much greater attention to the relevant skills and mindsets required
  for design thinking  \n- the need for much greater dialogue between the o
 perational research and the design communities .\n\nSPEAKER'S BIO\nDr Geof
 f Royston is former Head of Strategic Analysis and Operational Research in
  the Department of Health for England\, where for almost two decades he wa
 s the professional lead for a large group of health analysts. He is now an
  independent analyst and researcher and is the current President of the Op
 erational Research Society.\nHe is also an Associate of the Public Health 
 Action Support Team (PHAST) and a Senior Associate of the Centre for Healt
 h Service Economics and Organisation at Nuffield College Oxford.\nHe has h
 ad a wide range of activities and responsibilities involving analysis and 
 research to inform the design\, implementation and evaluation of evidence-
 based policies and programmes in the health field. He has particular exper
 ience of modelling and understanding the behaviour of complex systems\; of
  monitoring performance and evaluating the impact of innovations\; of reso
 urce allocation methods\; of analysis and communication of risk\; and of h
 orizon scanning and futures thinking.\nMuch of his work has involved assis
 ting others to develop strategies\, policies and programmes\, and developi
 ng their capacity to do this more effectively. This has included designing
  and running participative events up to and including Chief Executive and 
 Board level.\nHe has also worked on information and communication technolo
 gy in the health sector\, and has been an adviser to the UK communications
  industry regulator (OFCOM). He made the original proposal for the develop
 ment of the telephone and internet service “NHS Direct” and subsequent
 ly led its national launch.\nDr Royston has been a member of various unive
 rsity advisory groups\, has been an external examiner for postgraduate cou
 rses in operational research and management science\, and has served on bo
 th scientific and medical UK Research Council panels. He has published ext
 ensively in both health and management journals and is a member of the edi
 torial board for the journal Health Care Management Science\, and is its G
 uest Editor for a forthcoming Special Issue on Global Health.\nHe has a va
 riety of experience in the international health arena including being a co
 nsultant for the World Health Organisation\, an adviser to the HIFA (Healt
 h Information for All) 2015 programme and a long standing member of the EU
 RO Working Group on Operational Research Applied to Health Services.\nHe w
 as Chair of the UK Government Operational Research Service in 2003/4. In 2
 008 he was elected Companion of Honour of the Operational Research Society
  and in 2010 he was elected to be the Society’s President for 2012-2013.
LOCATION:Sir Arthur Marshall Meeting Room\, Floor 2\, Inglis Building\, Ca
 mbridge University Engineering Department
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