Curious consulting on strategy *and* evidence. I do difficult equations - but avoid if working with humans. Training on VfM,etc.

Sheffield, North West Europe. Grenoble, …
Joined November 2013
NEW VfM TRAINING DATES Core course: 17 Jan 2024 Intro to VfM Modules: 30 Jan 2024 VfM within evaluations 7 Feb 2024 VfM in complex and adaptive environments 20 Feb 2024 CBA and benefit: cost ratios for VfM BOOKING NOW at strategyandevidence.com/trai… blog link: strategyandevidence.com/cate…
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I'm in it but sold out!!! (there is waiting list though. BUT... there is loads of other stuff to go and see
🥳 Festival of Debate is back! Our 2024 programme runs from April 16 - 25 May, with 60+ online and in-person events focused on inspiring change in #Sheffield and beyond. Register now to attend any of our events: loom.ly/IlK4lN4
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Mind blown
Sadly not. A quick Google says 12.5 million cars in the U.K. was in 1972, so: 1972 UK population: 56 million Now: 67 million Percentage increase: 19.64% UK Cars 1972: 12.5 million Now: 33 million Percentage increase: 164% Cars numbers have vastly outstripped population growth.
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Hoping to find the time to get excited about this new thing from @QuadraticHQ It's like excel but lets you code in python in the sheet and outputs results cleanly into the sheet. Also lets you do cool python charts from your sheet data. Amazing for engineers and stattos!
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
Ministers must ensure civil servants aren’t conflicted between Civil Service Code obligations & ministerial instructions, yet this is where the Rwanda Bill puts civil servants. @FDAGenSec writes to the Home Secretary & Minister for the Cabinet Office stating this must be resolved
EXCL: Civil servants threaten ministers with legal action over concerns that senior Home Office staff could be in breach of international law if they implement Rwanda deportation bill - with @syalrajeev theguardian.com/politics/202…
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
🧊Fuel duty has been frozen for 14 years in a row. 📈Three days ago, rail fares went up by nearly 5% 🚗Private cars get a free ride, while the price of public transport goes up and up.
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Find my event of "What's better than Value for Money" and loads of other interesting things to book early in the pdf online and in physical programmes somewhere near you in #Sheffieldissuper
🎉 PROGRAMME LAUNCH - Festival of Debate returns to #Sheffield from 16 April - 25 May! Featuring @Sathnam Sanghera, @holliepoetry, @mrjamesob, @graceblakeley, @mariannaspring, @JackieKayPoet, @GeorgeMonbiot, @natalieben & more. See the full programme at festivalofdebate.com
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
Free course on 'Nonlinear dynamics and chaos' for those new to the subject, in short topical videos based on book of @StevenStrogatz ► Video list youtube.com/watch?v=bOpxQ7hG… @DynamicsSIAM #physics #engineering #biology #math
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Similarly, medical diagnosis from scans is good because, in time, the algorithm is told if the person did or didn't have the condition that the algorithm was checking for. In my line of work, most of the things people ask to "do AI" for are like more this story...
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more like very general "AI". They are not really AI they are complicated human written algorithms based on big data. This technology has always been available and only as good as it is .. the only difference now is that the data and the computing power are much bigger...
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not better. And the problem still exists: people are idiots and think the answer from a mathematical model is _the_ answer, not just the answer that comes out of the mathematical model!
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AI doesn't exist much. There are algorithms written by humans that, should, get better as it learns what is right and wrong. Hence, Amazon recommendations get better because "right and wrong" are defined well by if someone buys... bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68…
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And many other voters, often...
British Tory voters, 2024.
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
Sheffield is the real ale capital of the world according to a new report! Here’s what you need to know in four graphics. #TopoftheHops
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
We know carbon tax alone won’t work. These approaches will👇
The only action needed to solve climate change is is a carbon tax
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Mm. So some numbers. Payrises increased pay by 7.7% Annual inflation currently at 6.6% So actual payrises 1.1% or £349 pa. Or 95 7p per day on UK average wage of £34965 pa. Don't go spending it all at once...
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Stuart Astill (VfM training new dates : see link) retweeted
I know this is geeky even by my standards, but indulge me. I present a comparison of ride quality - one video was taken at 125mph on the ECML and the other at 186mph on a purpose-built high speed line in France. Like all sophisticated folk, I use the medium of wine. Go figure.
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The core course is filling fast this time round!
Dr Stuart Astill (strategyandevidence.com), is running his very popular training programme exploring Value for Money (VfM) - dates released for September & October. For details, see: mailchi.mp/859d70a52b43/vfm-… @StuartAstill
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Nice visualisation!
Playing around with ONS' data on prices and this is something I hadn't realised before. The variation in the price of a pint across England has increased *massively* in the last decade or so.
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