01An offer designed to support data-informed decisions
Nova Conseil begins by clarifying the decisions to be supported: tracking sales, planning purchases, monitoring costs, anticipating operating cash needs, measuring project delivery, or reporting to management, donors or a board. The work can start from spreadsheets, registers, accounting software, an ERP, production files, surveys or institutional data. Sources, definitions, periods, assumptions and limitations are documented so that observed facts, estimates and scenarios remain distinct. The aim is not to build a sophisticated model for its own sake, but a tool teams can understand, update and use.
02Forecasts suited to extractive and non-extractive sectors
For mining activities or suppliers, the analysis may connect volumes, communicated production information, reference prices, input costs, transport, energy, maintenance, procurement lead times and foreign-exchange exposure, subject to the data actually available. For trading, industrial and service organizations, it may cover sales by product or site, contribution margins, inventory, receivables, capacity, contracts, recurring expenses and operating cash requirements. For institutions or NGOs, it may track program budgets, disbursements, activities, beneficiaries, outcome indicators and deviations from plan. Forecasts are presented as scenarios—such as central, prudent and dynamic—not as certainties.
03Dashboards for day-to-day management and governance
A useful dashboard combines a limited number of clearly defined indicators, a realistic update frequency, an owner for each data item and alert thresholds agreed with the client. Views may be organized by department, branch, province, project, site, product or cost center. They can show actual-versus-budget gaps, trends, activity contributions, delays and actions to be taken. Reporting favors visuals that are readable on desktop or mobile, supported by an indicator dictionary and a short interpretation note. Confidentiality, data quality and access rights are handled within the agreed scope.
04A pragmatic approach to the Congolese context
Where relevant, the method can incorporate the coexistence of Congolese francs and reference currencies, the selected exchange-rate conventions, cost sensitivity to inflation, supply disruptions, transport and energy constraints, and differences between Kinshasa, mining provinces and other business areas. It can also reflect the organization’s level of formalization through a progressively structured chart of accounts, collection calendar, available supporting documents, reconciliations and simple controls. These are management parameters to document, not universal assumptions. External rates and indices should be refreshed from competent sources and validated by the client before use.
05A collaborative, cautious and verifiable process
The engagement may follow five steps: scope the decisions and users; inventory and check the data; build indicators and assumptions; prototype and test the dashboard with users; then transfer, document and periodically review it. Each forecast should state its production date, horizon, assumptions, sensitivity and revision conditions. Nova Conseil does not guarantee revenue, financing, profitability or regulatory compliance. Deliverables are decision-support tools; the client organization remains responsible for decisions and validation. Personalized legal, tax or financial matters should be referred to the relevant qualified professionals.
