Cost benefit analysis for the wise

Here you find me musing on the collapse in confidence around Value for Money (VfM) of Government’s spending: from covid test and trace, to school meals suppliers – not to mention Brexit-proof Ferry services! This is also a good place to announce my FREE “VfM Q&A seminars” taking place over the next month (starting January […]

In this podcast I take a Value for Money (VfM) flavoured look at the issue of the Government’s cut to the UK aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% And also muse on how easy it is to spend money down the pub or in PC World, but how hard to spend it in a bookshop […]

Jack Hayball joins Stuart Astill on the strategyandevidence podcast online. They discuss value propositions, (predictably) evidence & strategy and, in a gentle diversion, what a consultant should and shouldn’t bring to the party. If you want to get further into the topic Jack’s selected reading list is: Articles: – Christensen, C.M,. Johnson, W,. & Kagermann, H. […]

The  coronavirus pandemic has brought questions around testing, and now with the tracing app, algorithm design to a strategic and political audience.In this podcast I look at the fact that ‘errors’ are part of everyday life in testing and apps; and that tests and algorithms are designed by someone to minimise certain errors in a trade-off with others. […]

In this episode, despite coping with an impressive cold, I discuss the purpose of cost benefit analysis, but also the difficulties. I get enthusiastic about birthday cake and learning from looking back.

Part 1 of a 2 or 3 part audiosnack series on Rational Ignorance and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and how they fit together. In this podcast I explain what Rational ignorance is and why it is both incredibly useful as a concept but also a bit mind-bending. I also look at how it may be worth […]

An audiosnack /podcast of double espresso strength and intensity in which I explain (and have a gentle mini rant) about why twitter polls are as good as useless compared to real statistical surveys – even if a real survey is based on a much smaller number of people.