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In 15 Minutes, Not 15 Days
“We need the numbers for a new worst-case scenario. In 15 minutes please, not 15 days.”
Anyone who still needs days or weeks to simulate the effect of changed parameters has a problem that the next crisis will not make smaller.
I recently spoke again with a finance team that went through exactly this shift some years ago. Before: hunting for data across many sources, dozens of Excel versions in circulation, eight to ten days for a single scenario. Today: a robust simulation from automated data import to a presentation-ready decision paper in under 15 minutes.
Three principles made the difference.
Driver-based logic instead of cell acrobatics. Clear cause-and-effect chains in a visual driver model, rather than tracing precedents in a file inherited over years.
Automated data and a single reliable source. No manual collection, no conflicting versions.
Self-service for the business function. Controlling builds scenarios itself, without waiting on IT or an external consultancy.
In the end this changes the role too: away from supplying numbers, towards being a counterpart to management.
The real question is not whether 15 minutes is achievable. It is what a company loses during the 15 days.