Self-proclaimed Big Data experts and management gurus, claim that you get to insight nirvana, often in few easy steps. Just to cite some examples:
- Four Steps To Turn Big Data Into Action
- The seven steps of big data delivery | SAS
- Three Simple Steps to Big Data Intelligence – Crimson Hexagon
- Six Steps to Extract Value from Big Data – Datanami
- 6 Steps to Start Your Big Data Journey
- Four Steps to Success with Big Data
- 3 Steps for Tackling Big Data
- 5 Steps to Better Big Data Insight
- 8 Steps to Maximize the Potential of a Big Data Strategy
- Five first steps to creating an effective ‘big data‘ analytics program
And the list goes on…
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Such proclamations lead to unmet expectations from analytics initiatives. Going beyond insight and delivering measurable business impact requires discipline, focused effort, a sprinkling of luck, resiliency, a bout of creativity, and a dash of imagination. After having lived more than two decades with data (often with large transactional databases and even raw web log data – i.e., big data before it became a buzz word) of various shapes and sizes and their use in marketing and advertising decisions, my takeaways:
- Analytics as a process is never linear since data analysis and insight generation is a never ending journey with many twists and u-turns.
- Outcomes of the analysis can be unknown and even uncertain at the outset
- Discipline and structured thinking are as important as embracing out-of-the-box thoughts and imaginations
- Fortune favors the brave: Luck plays a role while looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack.
- Focus on the business goals and key questions since data and analytics will follow naturally.
- Challenge the status quo: Plan for required changes to”how things are done within the organization” based on what you may learn.
- Anticipate internal and external opposition to change: The biggest obstacle to realizing value from big data will come from organizational inertia.
- Think system, processes and decision rights before data and analyses.
- Patience is a virtue: As Billie Jean King said: “Champions keep playing until they get it right.”