(Step 2) Dear Advisor: I’d like to makE data-driven decisions. Where do I start?

Post was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated in July 2021 for relevancy.

Also in this series:

Great question! The short answer is that it depends… The path to becoming data-driven is non-linear, because it depends on many things, including: 

Having said that, here are some guidelines to get started. 

First, let’s take a step back and understand the context and motivation for this question:

Next, discuss and identify the most pressing question(s) the executive team would like to answer that would also bring value to the business in the short-term -- and decide on 1 question to try to answer as proof of concept (POC).

As you execute on the POC to address above, you’ll get an additional finding -- a (partial) data and strategy audit:

These findings can help you build further rapport with stakeholders. They'll also help you get everyone on the same page by adding any findings of gaps in product/data strategy to the product backlog for prioritization and iteration as a company.

What’s out-of-scope for POC

What if there isn't executive buy-in? What can you do?

I still recommend starting out with a very scoped-down, time-boxed, POC to try to answer a key business question, potentially as a 20% project. The results of the POC will help you do 1 of 2 things: 

Do you need an expert to help you identify the most immediate business needs and/or help you execute/improve on a POC? Please reach out.

Where to go from here?

References