Participatory Research in Interventions, Behavioural Science, and Policy Modelling

The PRISM Network (Participatory Research in Interventions, Behavioural Science, and Policy Modelling) brings together the ORS community to provide a forum for exchange and collaboration on complex organisational and policy challenges.

The PRISM Network is dedicated to cultivating a vibrant, inclusive forum for OR academics and practitioners interested in the intersections of participatory intervention research, behavioural science, policy design and analysis.

We embrace a transdisciplinary approach to OR, valuing rigorous and robust methods and interventions that meaningfully engage with stakeholders, experts, decision makers and policymakers.

Our aims include:

• Building bridges across disciplines: We encourage connections and dialogue among OR academics and practitioners who share a common interest in at least one of our core themes: participatory intervention research, behavioural science, policy design and analysis.
• Promoting methodological rigour: We champion approaches that are both theoretically sound and practically effective to advance the theory and practice of OR.
• Fostering active exchange: We aim to spark interdisciplinary learning, fresh ideas and new partnerships through workshops, seminars and events, both virtual and in-person.
• Driving real-world impact: We aspire to support and promote enhanced decision-making in complex social, organisational and policy contexts.

Whether your focus lies in facilitated modelling, stakeholder participation, exploring behavioural dynamics, systems thinking or structuring complex problems, you will find a collaborative and supportive community.

Future Events:

PRISM launch at the ORS conference

Parallel session (90 min) | Tuesday 08 September

OR is increasingly called upon to engage with complex challenges in organisations and public policy that cut across sectors, disciplines and established methodologies, underscoring the growing importance of methodological rigour.

This session launches the PRISM Network (Participatory Research in Interventions, Behavioural Science, and Policy Modelling) in response to this need, and to support exchange between OR academics and practitioners working across these areas. PRISM brings together ORS members and the existing SIGs to create a shared space for connections and dialogue.

Whether your focus lies in facilitated modelling, research in interventions, stakeholder participation, policy analysis and design, behavioural science, systems thinking or structuring complex problems, you will find a collaborative and supportive community within this Network.

The panel will introduce and discuss the motivations and core concepts underlying the PRISM Network, situating the Network within the wider ORS landscape.

The session will close with an interactive workshop. Starting from the premise that many of the most interesting challenges and collaborations rarely align with thematic or sectoral SIG boundaries, participants will be invited to share their questions, ideas and ambitions, and to explore collectively what PRISM could enable.

ORS Annual Conference OR68: From Data to Decisions

8–10 September 2026
University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

For those working in Defence, OR68 offers a forum to explore how analysis supports complex decisions where uncertainty, risk, and real-world constraints matter. The conference brings together practitioners and researchers to share approaches spanning modelling, analytics, and decision support, with a focus on translating evidence into robust, defensible choices across defence and security contexts.

Book Here

Committee Details