Process, Methods & Practices
Successful advanced analytics programs are, quite often, as much about how the work is done, as they are about what work is done.
The kinds of processes, methods, and practices that characterized world-class IT organizations, world-class software development shops, and world-class consulting firms all merge in large-scale advanced analytics programs. Leaders and team members are expected to be equally adept at program management, technology implementation, socialization and storytelling, and large-scale change management
No formal education prepares analytics professionals for the range of process, methodological, and practical “soft skills” required to play effective roles in advanced analytics programs. And many of these processes, methods, and practices – particularly for predictive, prescriptive, cognitive, and embedded analytics – are themselves novel, and deal with complex interactions between algorithm and model management, the role of design thinking and agile disciplines, the appropriate and effective use of socialization and storytelling techniques, and effective UX design.
Similarly, conflict identification, resolution and (when necessary) adjudication become more complex, and more important, within advanced analytics programs, which require close coordination and cooperation between multiple supply-side and demand-side constituencies within the organization.
Our most successful clients are relentlessly searching for better ways to work; IIA helps clients build these novel, but increasingly essential capabilities.