Spreadsheet Models for Managers


Getting Access to Spreadsheet Models for Managers


If Spreadsheet Models for Managersyou use Excel to model businesses, business processes, or business transactions, this course will change your life. You’ll learn how to create tools for yourself that will amaze even you. Unrestricted use of this material is available in two ways.

As a stand-alone Web site
It resides on your computer, and you can use it anywhere. No need for Internet access.
At this Web site
If you have access to the Internet whenever you want to view this material, you can purchase on-line access. Unlimited usage. I’m constantly making improvements and you’ll get them as soon as they’re available.

To Order On Line

Order "Spreadsheet Models for Managers, on-line edition, one month" by credit card, for USD 69.95 each, using our secure server, and receive download instructions by return email.
Order "Spreadsheet Models for Managers, on-line edition, three months" by credit card, for USD 199.00 each, using our secure server, and receive download instructions by return email.
Order "Spreadsheet Models for Managers, downloadable hyperbook edition" by credit card, for USD 199.00 each, using our secure server, and receive download instructions by return email.

To Order by Mail

Make your check payable to Chaco Canyon Consulting, for the amount indicated:
  • For the download: USD 199.00
  • For access online for three months: USD 199.00
  • For access online for one month: USD 69.95
And send it to:
Chaco Canyon Consulting
700 Huron Avenue, Suite 19C
Cambridge, MA 02138

To use the course software you’ll need some other applications, which you very probably already have. By placing your order, you’re confirming that you have the software you need, as described on this site.

Spreadsheet Models for Managers

Analysis and synthesis 2/2
Session Links
  • Analysis
    • Separation of a whole into its component parts
    • Used for decomposing a modeled quantity into pieces
  • Synthesis
    • Composition or combination of parts or elements to form a whole
    • Used for combining different contributing effects
  • Why do it?
    • Sometimes it’s easier to look at a problem by breaking it into parts and recombining the results
    • If a change is required, we can often change just one component, rather than the whole thing
    • As the model evolves, we often add or delete components without worrying about the others
    • This is the same advantage as that of object-oriented programming

The term analysis denotes the separation of a system or entity into parts. For example, when we talk about the staff of a company in terms of employee categories, such as Senior Management, Administrative, Engineering Manager, and so on, we’re performing an analysis of the employee population.

When we perform synthesis we combine a collection of elements into a whole. For example, when we compute the total cost of desk chairs, we can compute the cost of desk chairs by employee category, and then add up those subtotals.

We use this approach because it makes complex problems more tractable. Often the components that result from an analysis are very similar, except for the values of a few parameters, so we can use the same techniques for each piece. Or it might happen that different teams have to work on each piece, and using analysis, we can apply more brain power to the problem in parallel.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 27-Apr-2016 04:15:26 EDT

Matrix Multiplication and Array Arithmetic

For many of you, matrix multiplication and array arithmetic are new ideas. It’s easy to get lost in the details of how they work and then forget about why we use them.

To keep a clear view of the forest and avoid focusing only on the trees, remember why we use matrix multiplication and array arithmetic. Briefly, we use them because we find that it’s very often helpful to decompose a problem into parts (analysis), then do calculations on the parts, and finally reassemble the final solution from the results of those partial calculations (synthesis).

Matrix multiplication and array arithmetic provide us with very convenient methods for performing those intermediate calculations on the parts. They’re the tools that make analysis and synthesis so powerful.