Rethinking Financial Planning
Where academic research meets practical budgeting solutions for Australian departments
Built on Solid Research
Our approach started with a simple question back in 2019: why do departmental budgets consistently miss their targets by such wide margins? After diving deep into behavioural economics and organisational psychology, we discovered something interesting.
Traditional budgeting methods ignore how people actually make financial decisions in workplace settings. They assume perfect information and rational actors—but that's not how departments really work. Our methodology incorporates cognitive biases, team dynamics, and the messy reality of organisational life.
We spent three years studying 127 Australian departments across various sectors. The patterns we found challenged conventional wisdom about financial planning. Teams that accounted for uncertainty and human factors consistently outperformed those using standard approaches by an average of 23%.
Our Three-Phase Framework
Each phase builds on insights from behavioural finance and real-world testing with Australian organisations
Context Mapping
We don't start with numbers—we start with people. Understanding your department's decision-making patterns, risk tolerance, and communication styles shapes everything that follows. This phase typically takes 2-3 weeks and involves structured interviews with key stakeholders.
Scenario Building
Rather than creating one "perfect" budget, we develop multiple scenarios that account for different possibilities. This approach reduces anchoring bias and helps teams prepare for various outcomes. Most departments find this phase eye-opening—it reveals assumptions they didn't know they were making.
Dynamic Monitoring
Budgets aren't static documents—they're living tools that should evolve with changing circumstances. Our monitoring system uses early warning indicators and regular check-ins to keep budgets relevant throughout the year. Teams learn to adjust proactively rather than reactively.
Five Years of Continuous Learning
Since 2020, we've been refining our approach based on real-world feedback and new research. What started as an academic project has evolved into a practical framework that genuinely helps Australian departments make better financial decisions.