Special Interest Groups

Our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) lead the charge in advancing operational research within specialized areas, catering to the diverse interests and expertise of our members. These vibrant communities unite professionals, academics, and enthusiasts who are passionate about specific fields within OR.

SIGs are pivotal in driving innovation, sharing knowledge, and promoting best practices within their domains. With specialized events, webinars, and workshops, SIGs offer members a wealth of opportunities to stay at the forefront of research, gain insights into emerging trends, and collaborate with like-minded individuals.

SIGs provide a supportive environment for networking, mentorship, and professional development, encouraging camaraderie and robust discussions.

Most events are free and open to all, allowing members to invite clients and others interested in the subject. Explore the activities of our SIGs on these pages and in our membership magazine, Inside OR.

SIG Representative to General Council

Christina Phillips is the SIG Representative to The OR Society's general council.

Analytics Network

Analytics Network

For those with an interest in analytics, in topics such as data science, optimisation, visualisation, big data, regression, data mining, predictive modelling or forecasting, the Analytics Network is for you.

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Behavioural OR

Behavioural OR

The main aim of the SIG is to foster interest in behavioural science and its usefulness for OR and to organise events which will be of interest to practitioners and academics alike.

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Decision Analysis

Decision Analysis

The Decision Analysis SIG (DASIG) is a network of managers, consultants and academics interested in and committed to the application, dissemination and better understanding of decision analysis.

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Defence

Defence

The aim of the group is directed towards the practical and theoretical development of defence-related OR and the promotion of a wider knowledge and appreciation of defence-related OR.

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Health & Social Services

Health & Social Services

The Health and Social Services group’s main aims are to facilitate the exchange of information about current work on health and social services topics amongst practitioners and to disseminate information about OR.

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OR, Analytics, and Education

OR, Analytics, and Education

The OR, Analytics, and Education SIG (OAESIG), is a forum that aims to gather academics and practitioners to discuss, highlight related to pedagogy, teaching, and learning within the Higher Education (HE) sector.

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OR and Strategy

OR and Strategy

Strategic development is fundamentally concerned with organisational development over the longer term, moving an organisation in the direction of a desirable goal or objective.

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OR in Practice

OR in Practice

The special interest group 'OR in Practice' aims to create a platform to disseminate knowledge and understanding of OR approaches to structure business problems, develop models and propose solutions for real-life decision-making problems.

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OR in the Third Sector

OR in the Third Sector

The third sector is usually defined by what it is not! It comprises of organisations that are neither part of government (widely defines) nor of the commercial, for-profit sector.

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People Analytics

People Analytics

People analytics is a rapidly growing discipline of interest to businesses.

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Problem Structuring Methods

Problem Structuring Methods

Problem Structuring Methods are a family of methods that apply modelling approaches to address messy or wicked problems faced by the managers of organisations.

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Public Policy Design

Public Policy Design

The aim of the Public Policy Design SIG is to advance interest in and the use of OR in improving public policy design at local, regional, national and international levels.

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Simulation OR

Simulation OR

The Simulation Special Interest Group (SIG) provides a forum for academics, practitioners and software vendors to discuss the most recent advances in simulation theory and methodologies.

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Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking

The Systems Thinking Special Interest Group (ST-SIG) is for Systems/OR practitioners who are using, or want to learn about, systems theories, methodologies and methods to prevent or address highly complex problems.

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