The Analytics Lifecycle Toolkit

An evidence-based organizational framework for exceptional analytics team results

The Analytics Lifecycle Toolkit provides managers with a practical manual for integrating data management and analytic technologies into their organization. Author Gregory Nelson has encountered hundreds of unique perspectives on analytics optimization from across industries; over the years, successful strategies have proven to share certain practices, skillsets, expertise, and structural traits. In this book, he details the concepts, people and processes that contribute to exemplary results, and shares an organizational framework for analytics team functions and roles. By merging analytic culture with data and technology strategies, this framework creates understanding for analytics leaders and a toolbox for practitioners. Focused on team effectiveness and the design thinking surrounding product creation, the framework is illustrated by real-world case studies to show how effective analytics team leadership works on the ground.

Tools and templates include best practices for process improvement, workforce enablement, and leadership support, while guidance includes both conceptual discussion of the analytics life cycle and detailed process descriptions. Readers will be equipped to:

• Master fundamental concepts and practices of the analytics life cycle

• Understand the knowledge domains and best practices for each stage

• Delve into the details of analytical team processes and process optimization

• Utilize a robust toolkit designed to support analytic team effectiveness

The analytics life cycle includes a diverse set of considerations involving the people, processes, culture, data, and technology, and managers needing stellar analytics performance must understand their unique role in the process of winnowing the big picture down to meaningful action. The Analytics Lifecycle Toolkit provides expert perspective and much-needed insight to managers, while providing practitioners with a new set of tools for optimizing results.

Autorentext

GREG NELSON is the CEO and founder of ThotWave, an analytics advisory firm specializing in analytics talent development and has over 20 years of consulting experience in big data, statistical analysis, data visualization, and change management. Greg serves as adjunct faculty at Duke University's top-ranked Fuqua School of Business and is an expert for the International Institute for Analytics. Greg has authored over 200 papers and publications and is a regular speaker and keynote presenter at national and international events. Greg earned his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Psychology, a Master's in Clinical Informatics from Duke University, and conducted Ph.D. level work in Social and Cognitive Psychology at the University of Georgia.

Klappentext
PRAISE FOR THE ANALYTICS LIFECYCLE TOOLKIT "Full of wisdom and experience about analytics, this book's greatest strength is its lifecycle approach. From framing the question to getting results, you'll learn how analytics can really have an impact on organizations." Thomas H. Davenport, Ph.D., Author of Competing on Analytics and Only Humans Need Apply "This book condenses a lot of deep thinking on the wide field of analytics strategy. Analytics is not easythere are no quickie AI/BI/ML shortcuts to understanding your data, your business, or your processes. You have to build a diverse team of talent. You have to respect the hazards of 'fishing expeditions' that may need false-discovery-rate adjustments. You should consider designed experiments to get the true behavior of a process, something that observational data may hint at, but not provide complete understanding. There are dimensions of data wrangling, feature engineering, and data sense-making that all call for different skills. But with deep investment in analytics comes deep insight into processes and tremendous opportunity for improvements. This book puts analytics in the context of a strategic business system, with all its dimensions." John Sall, Ph.D., SAS co-founder and chief architect of JMP "The Analytics Lifecycle Toolkit provides a clear prescription for organizations aiming to develop a high-performing and scalable analytics capability. Greg organizes and develops with unusual clarity some of the critical nontechnical aspects of the analytics value-chain, and links them with the technical as building blocks in a comprehensive practice. Studying this map of how to negotiate the challenges to effectiveness and efficiency in analytics could save organizations months, or even years of painful trial and error on the road to proficiency." Scott Radcliffe, Executive Director, Data Analytics at Cox Communications "Many books exist that answer the question 'what is the right tool to solve a problem?' This is one of the few books I've read that answers the much more difficult question 'how do we make analytics become transformative throughout our organization?' Incorporating elements of data science, design thinking, and organizational theory, this book is a valuable resource for executives looking to build analytics into their organizational DNA, data scientists looking to expand their organizational reach, and analytics programs that teach students not just how to do data science, but how to use data science to affect tangible change." Jeremy Petranka, Ph.D., Assistant Dean Master of Quantitative Management at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business "This book is the 'thinking person's guide to analytics.' Greg has gone deep on some topics and provided considerable references across the analytics lifecycle. This is one of the best books on analytics I have readand I think I have read them all!" Bob Gladden, Vice President, Enterprise Analytics, Highmark Health

Inhalt
Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

Part I The Foundation of Analytics 1

Chapter 1 Analytics Overview 3

Chapter 2 The People of Analytics 38

Chapter 3 Organizational Context for Analytics 68

Chapter 4 Data Strategy, Platforms, and Architecture 95

Part II Analytics Lifecycle Best Practices 127

Chapter 5 The Analytics Lifecycle Toolkit 129

Chapter 6 Problem Framing 148

Chapter 7 Data Sensemaking 185

Chapter 8 Analytics Model Development 218

Chapter 9 Results Activation 266

Chapter 10 Analytics Product Management 301

Part III Sustaining Analytics Success 349

Chapter 11 Actioning Analytics 351

Chapter 12 Core Competencies for Analytics Teams 386

Chapter 13 The Future of Analytics 424

About the Author 433

About the Companion Web Site 435

Index 437