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Sometime between 2009 and 2019…
Isaak: Based on my review of the situation, here’s an issue I’ve identified, here’s what we could do and here’s a list of potential outcomes and recommendations for next steps.
Decision-maker: Bring me data. In God we trust; all others must bring data. 😎 /smug
…later…
Isaak: Here’s also a slide deck showing the best available sources of data, known gaps in data, various analyses, conclusions, and recommendations.
Decision-maker: This is a solid analysis, but…
Then, some reasons I’ve heard in the handful of times this situation has happened, such as…
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…we can’t make decisions solely on data, because doing $BUSINESS_ACTIVITY is not science, it’s more like art; it requires intuition, taking risks, trusting your gut.
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…we both know the data you used is unreliable because it’s self-reported. [Note: data which the company required everyone to input daily, allegedly for exactly such analyses, if need be.]
Conclusions/experiences
🚧 The “ask” for taking a data-driven approach is sometimes a way to delay and obstruct.
🎉 The “data-driven” meme is used by some people as a means to sound smarter and in the “in group” — not unlike how these same people treat Lean, Agile, Six Sigma and other fads. (https://bit.ly/tisodeft )
🙈 Some decision-makers have already decided and no data can sway them, even if it glaringly contradicts their decision.
🤥 Not all decision-makers who like to smugly quote Deming actually understand what data-driven means (or have ever read Deming).
👣 The best data analysis is best hidden within a storyboarded slide deck, delivered diplomatically to a change-resistant audience.
☁️ Not all companies that gather a lot of data in the hopes of someday pumping it for decisions will make much of it when the opportunity arises.
Thankfully, it’s really difficult to “cheat reality”, regardless of decision-making authority.
