Decision Making in R&D

focussing alternative protein sector

Date

18th – 20th May 2026

Location

 The University of Leeds

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Research and development often involves making decisions before all the evidence is available. This 1.5-hour online training provides a practical framework for making clearer, more structured and explainable decisions under uncertainty.

Using R&D examples relevant to alternative proteins, the session explores how to assess risks, challenge assumptions, consider different options and decide when to continue, pause, pivot or stop.

Is this training for me?

This training is particularly useful if you:

  • Make decisions about the direction or priorities of R&D projects.
  • Need to make decisions when data or evidence is incomplete.
  • Work across scientific, technical and commercial considerations.
  • Want to improve how you evaluate options, risks and trade-offs.
  • Need to communicate and justify decisions to colleagues, collaborators or stakeholders.
  • Are developing your skills as a future R&D or technical leader.

Eligibility & requirements

The training is open to researchers, scientists, engineers, academics and R&D professionals, particularly those working in alternative proteins, food innovation or related fields.

No prior knowledge of formal decision-making frameworks is required.

What you’ll learn

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

  • Identify key risks and decision criteria.
  • Recognise common decision-making traps and biases.
  • Select practical tools to evaluate different options.
  • Consider whether a decision is reversible or irreversible.
  • Define what evidence could make you change your mind.
  • Establish pause, pivot or stop criteria.

Dates & Format

Duration: 1.5 hours, including a short break
Format: Online, interactive training session
Date: TBC

Cost

TBC

£X,XXX

Limited spaces.
For group packages (3+ spaces), please contact [email protected]

Fee includes:  

  • xxxxxx
  • xxxxxx
  • xxxxxx

Register for Decision Making in R&D

Registration will open once sufficient interest has been confirmed.

This workshop will be organised subject to sufficient interest.

Meet the trainer

Dr Jamie Cleaver CEng FIChemE is a chemical engineer and former academic who works as a freelance trainer and facilitator, helping engineers and scientists develop their professional skills.

Jamie delivers workshops on effective communication, creativity, collaboration, mentoring and decision-making, as well as technical training in areas such as chemical engineering and process scale-up. He also contributes to university teaching and research.

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FAQs

No. The session is practical and designed to introduce simple tools that can be applied directly to R&D activities.

The examples and context will be relevant to alternative protein R&D, but the decision-making approaches can be applied more broadly across research and innovation.

Yes. Participants will work through an R&D case study and apply decision-making tools to identify risks, assumptions, options and next steps.

No. The focus is on decision-making in R&D, rather than technical scientific knowledge.

Explore

Coming soon — introductory content or related resources will be added here when available.

Contact Us

If you have a query please use the enquiry form to contact us or email  [email protected].