Assess the work, business rules, and data first.
Then choose the delivery approach that fits.
We begin by asking how often the work recurs, how consequential the decision is, whether the business rules and data are ready, and whether the outcome can be measured.
Business decisions to evaluate for fit
The examples below illustrate the types of work that may be assessed for fit. They do not represent actual client engagements or define the current scope of services.
| Area | Decision and analytics examples |
|---|---|
| Profitability & Portfolio Analytics | Product, customer, and channel profitability; SKU rationalization; cost-to-serve; portfolio scenarios |
| SCM Applications | Demand and inventory; supply and production; S&OP and S&OE; logistics, cost, and planning operations |
| Finance & Risk | Credit analysis, risk assessment, underwriting, and management reporting |
| Sales | Sales analysis, planning, promotions, and execution reviews |
| Procurement | Suppliers, contracts, pricing, and sourcing strategy |
| Management Planning & Control | Profit and loss, planning, performance analysis, and reporting |
Business terms and metrics differ by domain. In SCM, for example, the work may connect decisions across demand, inventory, supply, production, and logistics. Other areas are assessed against domain-specific business criteria and data conditions.
Choose the approach that fits the way the work is performed
| Nature of the Work | Approach to Consider |
|---|---|
| The procedure is fixed and exceptions are rare | Workflow or Rule Engine |
| The work is a recurring calculation with clear inputs and outputs | Procedural Logic or Optimization Model |
| The questions and evidence required vary with the situation | Agentic Analysis |
| A person must compare the impact and limitations of several options before deciding | KOAA & Decision Brief |
The choice depends on the work itself. A fixed workflow or calculation does not need to be turned into an agentic process.
KOAA & Decision Brief — When people need to compare the expected effects and limitations of several alternatives, KOAA structures business concepts, rules, exceptions, and evidence so they can guide the analysis workflow and its validation criteria. A Decision Brief gives human reviewers a structured view of the evidence, assumptions, constraints, expected impacts, and open questions.
Use a consistent decision framework across business domains
Decision to be made → Business criteria → Data evidence
→ Options and impact → Human decision → Execution outcome
The terminology and metrics change by domain. The design questions remain consistent: who makes the decision, what evidence is used, and how the result will be checked.