Using Robustness Analysis to structure online marketing and communication problems

Online marketing and communication provides an interesting environment for the application of problem structuring methods as problems tend to be ill-defined and quantitative models are often inadequate in capturing complexity or developing decision options. This paper reports the use of Robustness Analysis, one of the least known problem structuring methods, in helping decision makers keep options open. A concise description of the key concepts in Robustness Analysis and the recently developed participative methodology is given. The case study describes how Robustness Analysis was used for 3 days in aiding a UK company identify its first step towards online retailing. The paper then discusses issues that may be of interest to other problem structuring method practitioners, covering problems—method matching, the use of Robustness Analysis in participative situations and a subjective evaluation of the success of the intervention.