Complex Systems Management
Apart from experience, the Cambrensis team offers expertise in analysing the behaviour (not just the “safety”), of complex systems in real life situations. This is derived from the development of thinking on safety approaches learned the hard way through the years of practical and often frustrating first-hand experiences.
We have come a long way since Flixborough, and we are realising that our modern organisations cannot afford the time and resources to apply the earlier brute force methods, such as were involved in the full Probabilistic Risk (latterly Safety) Analysis applications. Neither are they required by Regulators, or Operators. It was also realised that although these earlier rigorous approaches were helpful (and probably adequate) in assessing the predicted behaviour of complicated (tractable) systems, in our modern applications (healthcare, aviation, process and transport industries, etc.), systems can appear intractable with emergent, unexpected, behaviours that classical approaches alone could not predict, let alone quantify.
This is all the more relevant with the explosion of new and evermore exciting and attractive AI fuelled additions to our design mix. So, we needed to do further work and develop and test newer complementary (constructive not replacement) design philosophies to augment our capabilities to manage these more complex systems in real world applications.
Accordingly, Cambrensis Associates have been at the forefront of the development of improved approaches and thinking in Human Factors, Ergonomics and Risk, such as SAFETY II, Resilience Engineering and Synesis. This has been applied to modelling and analysing complex sociotechnical system using qualitative and fully quantitative applications of the Functional Resonance Analysis Methodology (FRAM)
Artificial Intelligence
Working with the Japanese Manned Space Systems Company of Japan, this approach was applied to modelling the functions involved in how the brain processes information and makes decisions. This has led to enabling us to add machine learning to the modelling.
Work is continuing to facilitate the use of FRAM modelling of systems to produce the digital twins of complex operational systems.
University Spin offs
Cambrensis has also been closely involved in advising and facilitating start up projects. Examples include Willworth Ltd., (Tidal Flow Turbines), Intradependency Ltd., (Decision Software, iDEPEND), Dynamic Demand Ltd. (now name changed, demand response technology), Tidal Lagoons Swansea Bay Ltd, (Tidal Range Power perpetual generation), and others are in the pipeline, with the Alacrity Foundation.