Archive page of posts in this category or categories:
Methods, Understanding methods
The following posts are in no particular order. They are purposely randomized.
Message pre-testing
RSI embeds message pre-testing into its communication design process. The firm develops prototypes and guides structured audience feedback loops. RSI ensures that messages meet comprehension thresholds, cultural appropriateness, and behavioral relevance—especially in high-risk or high-stakes contexts.
Read More Public engagement in message design
RSI integrates public engagement into communication planning for risks with broad societal impact. The firm facilitates collaborative design sessions and uses participatory tools to elicit preferences and expectations. RSI ensures that outputs reflect both technical accuracy and public resonance, supporting socially responsive communication.
Read More Application of TTC and margin-of-safety calculations
RSI applies TTC and MoS calculations within structured risk framing exercises, especially when evidence is partial but decisions must be made. The firm’s analysts integrate exposure modeling, chemical categorization, and uncertainty factors to produce interpretable results that can inform client decisions without overstating certainty. RSI can also embed TTC or MoS outputs into broader risk assessments, making it easier for clients to communicate defensible rationales to regulators or stakeholders. The combination of chemical expertise and policy experience makes RSI an effective interpreter and integrator of these methods.
Read More Hazard mitigation strategies
RSI helps develop and assess mitigation strategies that are evidence-based, cost-effective, and stakeholder-supported. The firm uses risk models, cost-benefit analyses, and community input to prioritize interventions. RSI ensures that mitigation is integrated with broader development goals and not treated as an isolated activity.
Read More Data science
RSI applies data science to enhance its modeling, surveillance, and synthesis capabilities. The firm integrates open-source tools, custom scripts, and commercial platforms to analyze diverse datasets—including textual, geospatial, and time series data. RSI’s approach emphasizes transparency, reproducibility, and integration with domain knowledge to ensure data science outputs are not only innovative, but also responsible and relevant in high-stakes decision-making.
Read More Public perception research
RSI conducts public perception research to inform risk communication plans, stakeholder engagement strategies, and regulatory initiatives. Its multidisciplinary teams ensure that perception data is rigorously gathered and contextually analyzed. RSI helps clients understand not just what the public thinks, but why—and how that shapes the effectiveness of risk interventions.
Read More Data collection and management
RSI designs and implements data collection strategies aligned with scientific and regulatory requirements. Its staff are experienced in digital tool deployment, structured interviewing, and environmental sampling protocols. On the management side, RSI applies validation procedures, version control, and secure access standards to ensure integrity and reusability. This method is embedded in nearly all RSI projects and supports sound interpretation and communication of risk evidence.
Read More Policy development for risk mitigation
RSI supports policy development across health, environmental, and infrastructure domains. The firm integrates scientific evidence, risk assessments, and stakeholder perspectives to craft clear and enforceable policies. RSI also provides implementation roadmaps and evaluation frameworks, ensuring that policies are not only sound on paper but practical in execution.
Read More Scenario testing and war-gaming
RSI designs and facilitates scenario-based exercises that test governance, communications, and technical systems under pressure. Its method integrates structured debriefs and performance assessment. RSI uses the insights gained to refine preparedness, improve coordination, and support evidence-based adaptation of risk management plans.
Read More Uncertainty communication
RSI helps clients convey uncertainty in ways that are honest yet comprehensible. It uses visual tools, framing guidance, and scenario explanations to prevent misinterpretation. RSI supports regulators, scientists, and policymakers in maintaining credibility while addressing the real limits of knowledge and prediction in risk domains.
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