Improving Business Case Analysis Using System Thinking-Biosolids Dewatering Case Study

Organizations are continuously tasked with making choices relating to strategies, suppliers, alternative solutions and processes; and are accordingly seeking the most effective decision-making means. Business case analysis is often utilized to evaluate and capture the reasoning for a selected direction. Such analysis typically includes a detailed analysis of viable alternatives. In order to gain meaningful evaluations, the level of analysis should move from a process to a system level. The system thinking includes consideration of how systems: behave, interact with their environment and influence other processes. Integration of the system thought with business case development provides an improved methodology for decision-making due to the inclusion of holistic impacts. Instead of focusing upon individual processes one-at-a-time, the system approach considers the linkages and interactions between system processes. This cause and effect analysis is inherently more complex; however, it is also more realistic due to the capture of the total effect. The business case analysis with system thinking concept is a method of reasoning as opposed to a set of strict and explicit rules; hence, this methodology is more appropriately illustrated by a case study. The illustrative case study summarizes two evaluations of biosolids dewatering strategies; the first used a process-based and a second utilized a system-based analysis. When the analysis is based only upon the dewatering process, the most favorable alternative is different from that found when the analysis considers the entire solids processing system. The system-level findings more accurately replicated the total system effects and identified the solution with maximum total benefit. It is the thought processes associated with this approach that are of value and should be emulated by others. The case study’s specific data, costs and conclusions are all unique to that system, and are only presented to illustrate the concepts. The two levels of analysis demonstrate how different conclusions can be reached depending upon the level of the analysis (process versus system).It this particular case study, it is seen that the initial solution determined by a discrete process-based approach was not as beneficial as that which emerged from a subsequent reevaluation utilizing a broader system-based analysis. Both analyses are technically sound; however, the outcomes are dramatically different. The process-level analysis on biosolids dewatering equipment found a belt-filter press to be the best solution. The second analysis on a system-level found a centrifuge to be the best solution. The different conclusions stem from the perspective, not the data. A systems-view is a better predictor of reality as processes do function cooperatively and influence one another. The case study accentuates the necessity for broad-based analysis to ensure that all results associated with each alternative are incorporated into an evaluation. This case study is not presented to endorse a particular dewatering technology; instead it illustrates how isolation of processes for evaluations can overlook critical interdependencies. The use of system-thinking provides a means to better correlate predicted and actual outcomes.