The OUtCoMES Cycle

The OUtCoMES Cycle is a process created by SMB-A Co-Director, Dr. Elliot Bendoly. It is used to structure otherwise unstructured or poorly structured problems to pursue practical, real-world solutions. SMB-A students can utilize this tool to identify the most salient analytical approaches to support informed decision making on their way to becoming data-savvy business leaders. 

OUtCoMES

• Objective: What do you believe you can reasonably accomplish, given what you know about the context?
• Utilities: What are the factors that you (or decision-makers in question) are in control of and believe you can use to pursue the highest priority objectives stated?
• Connections: What limits exist on the way in which utilities can be modified as a set?  What are the limits to the impact that those decisions can have on objectives?
• Manifest: Given the web of connections that exist in concept, what is the magnitude of impact when one utility decision is increased two-fold? What is the related impact if another is brought to zero?
• Explicate: What do we need to do to evaluate the model at hand to generate outcomes that help us understand how effective the model is?
• Scrutinize: What do the recommendations suggest regarding action and expected outcomes? What is the level of risk around these and other recommendations? What makes sense, what actions are practical?  What needs fixing?

Download The OUtCoMES Cycle document

Podcast: Structure within Creativity

Listen to Dr. Bendoly discuss the benefits of structure and how frameworks, like the OUtCoMES cycle, are not only compatible with creative problem-solving approaches but can dramatically enhance results. This thoughtful podcast from There's a Better Way is a great way to learn about the process behind becoming a spirited high-performing problem solver.

Listen Now: Structure within Creativity podcast

Faculty Highlight: Elliot Bendoly, PhD

Dr. Bendoly is the Fisher College of Business Distinguished Professor of Management Sciences at The Ohio State University. He currently serves as the co-Director of the Specialized Masters in Analytics program and Management Sciences Ph.D. Coordinator. He is the 2015 OM Distinguished Scholar (AoM), recipient of Emory University's 2014 Crystal Apple Award and former Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students and Programs. He also a contributing faculty member of the Sustainability Institute, Translational Data Analytics Institute and the International Institute for Analytics.

Before academia, Dr. Bendoly worked as a research engineer for the Intel Corporation and interned with NASA and CAM/LEM. He holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University in the fields of Operations Management and Decision Sciences with an Information Systems specialization in ERP and Knowledge Management. He has served as an instructor and developer of SAP implementation and ABAP/4 programming curriculum. More recently, he has been involved with coursework on IT-supported service operations and DSS development for managers.