STEM newsletter

STEM User Group Meeting 2010 (original invitation)

30 April 2010

A real-time capex and opex work-out

Our 2010 business-modelling event will run from Tuesday–Wednesday 5–6 October at King’s College, Cambridge UK (in a slight departure from our usual September tradition). The sessions will combine a showcase of existing projects and solutions in the telecoms network, energy supply and property development sectors with two live modelling workshops and various technical and marketing strategy updates. This popular, evergreen event is offered free of charge and presents an ideal opportunity for new and prospective users across finance, network, strategy and marketing functions to meet with and gain valuable references from existing practitioners.

A capex and opex work-out for managers and modellers alike

Anyone who has ever built a spreadsheet business plan will be familiar with the rigmarole of creating repetitive formulae to forecast capital expenditure, and the chore of accommodating the related depreciation tables. Or you may recall hours spent digesting and checking a random path through a series of opex dependencies in someone else’s spreadsheet! In contrast, the established STEM business-modelling process helps users to quickly create and benefit from business models where the bulk of the calculation logic is implied from a clear and intuitive picture which they can create by themselves on-screen or in a workshop environment.

The central focus of this 15th STEM User Group event is a series of workshop sessions where our consultants will demonstrate standard techniques and quite literally ‘work out’ solutions to issues raised by the audience in real time. In the capex session we will examine a number of advanced topics, including replacement profiles (time/age), timing refinements for NPV analysis, and a separation between initial project capex and subsequent replacement.

Often representing the majority of an operator’s costs, the subject of opex has become a bit of a holy grail for business modellers. We will look at generic models for planning, implementation, maintenance and diagnostics, as well as more general staff and overhead costs, vehicles and buildings. Finally we will present a new, integrated solution to a longstanding confusion surrounding the modelling of incremental implementation costs.

Morning (1) Morning (2) Lunch Afternoon (1) Afternoon (2) Evening
Showcase: modelling parallel technologies in telecoms networks and commercial or urban property developments Capex work-out: fixed assets and depreciation, and a timing review for cashflow, NPV and equipment replacement Platform evolution: priorities such as smarter results browsing and Excel integration driven by recent consulting experience New market strategy: a small announcement to consulting partners with a potentially major impact on future growth Gala dinner at King’s College

Outline session structure for day one

Visiting partners are welcome to attend the sumptuous gala dinner on the Tuesday evening which provides a relaxed opportunity to catch up with other members of the group and to share frank opinions on the realities facing the industry today.

Morning (1) Morning (2) Lunch Afternoon (1) Afternoon (2) Evening
Showcase: jaw-dropping techniques, guest presentations and features from the energy sector Opex work-out: consistent planning of maintenance, support staff and overhead costs Technical spotlight: an end to confusion over incremental modelling of implementation costs Modelling clinic: live Q&A on current user roadblocks and some recent case histories Informal meal for overnight guests

Outline session structure for day two

Registration is now closed

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