## We do not sell databases.

We do not sell databases or data platforms. We believe that in a world of
big data, database products will become increasingly commoditised. We believe
in the value of the analyst, the value of insight and the value of action. We
believe in enriching our customers’ understanding through analysis that
goes far beyond the provision of data management tools. We operate in the
value space that sits on top of your data.

## We try things ourselves.

We believe in the scientific approach (whilst accepting that data isn’t
always available today to support this). This demands that we constantly
measure what is really happening – not as an output of a model, but in the
real world. If our data predicts that something will work, that is only the
first step. Then we try it, measure it and refine our processes over and over
again. At every stage of this process we critique our methods – to be
scientific we have to. We’re therefore honest with ourselves and our
clients about what we really know from the data, what we can know and what
remains unknowable.

## We solve important problems.

No problem worth solving has ever been solved without a significant amount of
effort. We aim to solve the most important challenges of city life – how to
re-organise our transport networks to eliminate congestion; how to reduce
carbon consumption in ways that save money and stimulate economic growth; how
to make buildings places that work for their occupants. These are challenges
of global significance and they’re problems we care about deeply.

## We expect a lot from ourselves.

In our problem-solving, we know that 99% of a solution may be no solution at
all – the difference between a solution that works for you and doesn’t
work, may only be 1%. We have high demands of ourselves and are always
seeking the 1%.

## Our job is never done.

We are committed to solving difficult problems. We take our work very
seriously. Your problems – the problems of the city – are our problems too.
We are here to help with your immediate questions, but we are also deeply
committed to R&D, to continuously improve the answers we can give and how
we give them. We are a consultancy that is always thinking about how to
improve – a consultancy that won’t forget your problem just because our
contracted work is complete.