Optimize project type: Optimal characteristics

An Optimal location characteristics project allows you to calculate in batch the expected impact of changing the characteristics of existing locations.

Use this project type when you want to evaluate how changes such as surface, store concept, format, or any other characteristic configured in your platform could influence the predicted performance of your locations. Instead of manually creating and calculating each change one by one in the Location Planning module, the Optimal location characteristics project tests multiple modifications automatically.

The Optimal location characteristics project uses the model configured for your platform. This is the same model that is used in the Location Planning module.

How an Optimal location characteristics project calculates locations

In an Optimal location characteristics project, each uploaded location is tested individually with the modified characteristics provided in your template.

The calculation follows this logic:

An existing location is selected for modification(s).
The adjusted characteristics are imported through the template.
The model recalculates the predicted performance of that location based on the new values.
The next modified location is calculated in the same way.

This means that locations are calculated one by one. The project does not calculate the combined effect of modifying multiple locations at the same time.

This avoids combination effects between modified locations and allows you to compare all tested changes under consistent conditions.

Starting point of the calculation

You can start an Optimal location characteristics project from:

your current reference network;
a saved simulation.

When you start from a saved simulation, the modified locations are tested against the network configuration from that simulation.

Preparing the modified locations

To run this type of project, you need to prepare a template with the existing locations you want to modify and the new characteristic values you want to test.

For example, you can use the template to test:

an increased or reduced surface;
a different store concept;
a different format;
another location characteristic configured in your platform.

Only the characteristics available in your platform configuration can be tested.

What you get after calculation

After the calculation, the results are shown in a summary table. This table contains the key indicators from your model, such as predicted sales, potential uplift, impact on surrounding locations, and any other metric configured in your platform.

The calculated locations are also displayed on the map. A color gradient helps you quickly identify which modified locations have a higher or lower impact on your network.

These results help you compare different optimization scenarios and select the most relevant locations for further analysis.

Typical use cases

An Optimal location characteristics project is especially useful when you want to evaluate potential improvements to existing locations before making operational or investment decisions.

For example, you can use this project type to analyze:

store resizing;
renovations or upgrades;
changes in store concept;
changes in location characteristics;
expected performance impact before implementation.

How it works

To start an Optimal location characteristics project, you have to follow the steps below:

Further analysis in Location Planning (step 10)

An Optimal location characteristics project calculates each modified location individually. If you want to evaluate the combined impact of modifying several selected locations, you can create a simulation from your project and apply those changes together in the Location Planning module.

This allows you to analyze the total impact on your network after selecting the modifications you want to investigate further.