From Research to Reality: Refining Our Decision-Making Tool

We’ve officially moved into one of the most exciting phases of our project—transitioning from research, case studies, and client discussions to actually developing the tool. The goal of this tool is simple yet crucial: to provide a quick, high-level decision-making framework that helps determine whether an opportunity is worth pursuing. While the transition has been exciting, it’s also come with some unexpected challenges.

The Unexpected Hurdle: Sharing an Excel File (Yes, Really!)

Developing the tool itself wasn’t the biggest challenge—sharing it within our team was. As graduate students, you’d think we’d have seamless collaboration skills by now, but somehow, we spent an hour just figuring out how to properly share and edit the file together. (Turns out, sometimes the simplest tasks can be the most frustrating.) Luckily, we eventually figured it out, and after that, everything started moving much more smoothly.

We successfully refined our initial version (2.0) and sent it to our client before spring break. This week, we received their feedback, and now we’re focusing on testing the tool against real-world cases. The key question we’re exploring is whether we need to adjust the weightings between different factors to improve its accuracy and usefulness.

A Surprise Benefit: The Blessing of Daylight Saving Time

In my previous blog post, I mentioned how our weekly 9 AM client meetings were a challenge for me, given my usual wake-up time. Well, thanks to daylight saving time, those meetings have now shifted to 10 AM, which is fantastic news for me! No more groggily rushing into our pre-meeting half-asleep—now I actually get a proper morning routine before our calls. Who knew that something as simple as a time change could make such a big difference? (I certainly won’t complain.)

Teamwork & Valuable Conversations

One thing I truly appreciate about this project is my team. We’ve been meeting weekly, and when it came time to build the tool, we even met in person for two hours to write out all our thoughts on a whiteboard and organize them into a structured framework. Everyone is staying on top of their tasks, which has made this process much more efficient and rewarding.

Our client has also been incredibly helpful—always willing to explain complex concepts in a way that makes sense to non-experts. I also had the opportunity to speak with the Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Financial Officer, which gave me a much deeper understanding of the processes involved and helped us identify missing elements in our tool. These conversations have been key in refining our approach and making sure we stay aligned with our project scope.

Learning from Professors & Guest Speakers

Beyond our project work, our professor’s insights have been incredibly valuable. Today, we discussed our monthly update, and she provided a fresh perspective on what else our tool could do. It’s reassuring to know that if we run into any issues, we can always reach out for her advice. Having that support system in place makes the process feel much more manageable.

Another highlight has been learning from guest speakers who share real-world industry insights. Hearing about their experiences, challenges, and how they navigated their careers has been eye-opening. It’s given me a better understanding of what the professional world looks like today and has made me reflect more on where I see myself in the future.

Grateful for This Experience

I feel so grateful for this class and the incredible learning opportunity it has given me. This practicum has provided me with hands-on experience, exposure to real-world consulting work, and the chance to collaborate with an amazing team. I never imagined I would get the opportunity to interact with industry professionals, work on a meaningful project, and develop skills that will be invaluable for my future career.

Looking Ahead

Right now, I feel like we’re in a strong position. We have a clear path forward and are now testing and refining our tool to make it as effective as possible. The next couple of weeks will be critical in validating its accuracy and making final adjustments.

This practicum has already been a mix of challenges, teamwork, and valuable learning experiences, and I’m excited to see how our project continues to evolve. Now, let’s just hope we don’t have another hour-long Excel-sharing crisis anytime soon!