What makes a useful product worth building?
A practical way to judge whether a product solves enough of a real problem to justify the time, money and risk of building it.
10 min read
KEVOS Insights
Practical insight for better decisions.
Perspectives on engineering, manufacturing, operations and business, organised by topic to help you evaluate challenges, understand methods and make informed decisions.
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Borrowing from PRINCE2 and PMBOK: what a small business can use from formal project methods
Formal project methods were built for large organisations, but their core ideas suit small firms. Which parts of PRINCE2 and the PMBOK Guide to borrow and how to keep them light.
10 min read
Checking a preferred supplier before award: due diligence on the people, money and capacity behind a tender
A strong tender shows a supplier can describe good delivery. Due diligence checks whether it can deliver: its entity, finances, key people, subcontractors, systems and capacity.
11 min read
Choosing a business structure in Australia: sole trader, partnership, company or trust
Structure shapes control, personal exposure, tax, paperwork and what happens when owners change. How to compare the four common structures, avoid myths and know when to revisit it.
11 min read
Choosing and governing R&D projects: buying information, weighing odds and judging decisions fairly
R&D spending buys answers to uncertain questions. How to frame projects, weigh value against probability and cost, stage spending, keep the portfolio balanced and judge decisions fairly.
14 min read
Cutting energy use in business premises: finding where it goes and fixing the right things first
Energy bills say how much you used, not why. How to read interval data, find waste in base load, cooling, air, motors and lighting, fix the cheap things first and prove the savings.
13 min read
Estimating when data is thin: structured expert judgement, Delphi rounds and a written basis
For first-of-a-kind work, estimates come from people, not records. How to reduce anchoring and deference, gather independent views, run a simple Delphi and record the basis of each estimate.
10 min read
Fair use of AI in hiring and people decisions: bias, testing and human review
AI tools can screen applications and rate staff quickly, and can repeat past unfairness at scale. How to choose, test and govern them so people decisions stay fair and explainable.
11 min read
Fixing a recurring problem with DMAIC: define, measure, analyse, improve, control
Some problems keep coming back however many quick fixes are tried. How the DMAIC method moves from a clear problem statement to verified causes, tested fixes and a gain that lasts.
10 min read
Grants, tax incentives and selling to government: what to check before you rely on them
Public support and government contracts can help a small business grow, but programs change and carry conditions. How to find what fits, keep evidence and stay viable if it never arrives.
10 min read
Maintenance that prevents breakdowns: choosing a strategy for each machine in a small factory
Running equipment until it breaks feels cheap until the breakdown comes at the worst time. How to rank machines, match maintenance to each, involve operators and learn from repeat failures.
10 min read
PPAP for small suppliers: what a customer needs before approving your parts
A first PPAP request can look like a mountain of forms. What the production part approval process tries to prove, how its parts fit together and how a small supplier gets approval calmly.
10 min read
Price adjustment clauses: sharing inflation and market risk fairly in long contracts
A fixed price over several years forces someone to guess future costs. How index-linked adjustment works, how to choose indices and weights, and how to keep the formula fair and auditable.
12 min read
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