Final answer:
A granular tool for generating outcomes and cost data is a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA). This process involves a quantitative evaluation of the costs versus benefits and can include a variety of data such as productivity, labor costs, and profits. GIS tools can also add geographical insights to the analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
A tool that goes to a granular level to generate outcomes and cost data is known as a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA). The process of a CBA is straightforward yet powerful; it involves listing all potential costs and benefits associated with a decision, and then comparing them to determine the best course of action. For example, in a given scenario, costs might include money, effort, and other sacrifices, while benefits could encompass time saved, money earned, or experience gained.
When advising a friend like Sam, mathematical models would be used to estimate costs and predict outcomes for various alternative solutions that could arise. These models help to understand the science behind a technique and the related expenses for materials, fabrication, operation, and maintenance. To make an effective comparison, these costs should be normalized, such as to cost per thousand gallons of water in some cases.
The tool is also supplemented by resources like the "Productivity and Costs" link, which provides extensive data on productivity, labor costs, and profits within the business sector, offering broader context to the analysis. By conducting CBA, decision-makers can attribute value to non-quantifiable aspects of a decision, leading to more informed choices based on a balance of marginal costs and marginal benefits. Employing GIS tools, like the GIS-Light Sabre, can further enhance the analysis by allowing for geographical questions to be asked and answered, providing additional insights into data clustering and business competition scenarios.