What is a ‘Better than VfM’ event?
‘Better than VfM’ events are facilitated by Dr Stuart Astill and bring groups together to ask a fundamental question: how can we improve Value for Money (VfM) analysis?
The events aim to challenge established assumptions about VfM, identify what changes we can implement to the way VfM is approached and consider the skills, knowledge and capabilities needed to make those changes happen.
Why are we running these events?
Stuart is an expert in VfM analysis, but has increasingly questioned how robust and foolproof the approach really is. This has led to an ongoing exploration of VfM and how it might be improved, which he hopes will ultimately contribute to a book.
What is the cost of running a ‘Better than VfM’ event
There is no fee or revenue expected by Stuart from these events.
Any costs associated with running an event would be for the benefit of the hosting organisation and participants, for example, venue, catering or other event-related costs.
What would be the topic of a ‘Better than VfM’ event?
We strongly encourage each event to have a particular thematic focus. This could be linked for example to your organisation and its current priorities or the wider event or conference in which the session is taking place.
We also encourage events to include additional guest speakers who have relevant experience or expertise in the chosen topic, alongside Stuart.
What would the length of a ‘Better than VfM’ event be?
We recommend a minimum of 90 minutes and a maximum of around 4 hours (including a break)
The length can be adapted to suit the context, audience and objectives of the event.
What would the size of a ‘Better than VfM’ event be?
As a general guide, we suggest a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 30 participants.
How might the event be structured?
Previous events have included strutures such as:
- Introduction and key principles of VfM
- The challenges VfM faces in practice
- Discussion of real-world cases
- Panel and group discussion around participant cases
- Q&A with the speakers
- Practical next steps going forward
What if the event I have in mind sounds different?
No Better than VfM event is the same! And we wouldn’t want that any other way. These FAQ’s give some pointers as to what a ‘Better than VfM’ might typically look like, but please get in touch to find out how an event can be adapted to your needs and objectives!