Don't be a Data Hater
I can't believe I am going on my 12th year in analytics. I remember in January, 2006 I was working for ClickTracks (now Lyris). With the amazing response to Google Analytics free offering, I recall saying to a co-worker, 'this is the year that every company is going to HAVE to use web analytics.' Sadly, I was wrong.
Don't get me wrong. There are many companies that really get it. They are advanced in their approach and use of analytics. Unfortunately there are still companies today who place no value on analytics. They are still making decisions based on their gut instincts.
From what I've experienced, companies fall into one of the six following categories when it comes to their attitude towards analytics. I've even color coded the categories, so you can quickly see how I feel about each.
Don't get me wrong. There are many companies that really get it. They are advanced in their approach and use of analytics. Unfortunately there are still companies today who place no value on analytics. They are still making decisions based on their gut instincts.
From what I've experienced, companies fall into one of the six following categories when it comes to their attitude towards analytics. I've even color coded the categories, so you can quickly see how I feel about each.
Disregard – No value put on analytics. There is no data. These are the 'data haters.'
Illiteracy – Data exists. Understanding doesn’t.
Apathy– Reports exist. No one uses them.
Deception– Reports are created. But the information is wrong because of an incomplete or incorrect implementation of the tool.
Ideal State- Data driven culture. Right people with right tools.
Maturity - Have moved beyond basic web analytics.
A great holiday gift you can give your company (and it doesn't even cost anything), is to find out which category describes your company's attitude and try to move from the red through the yellow to the green. And maybe someday, the data haters won't even be a category.
Illiteracy – Data exists. Understanding doesn’t.
Apathy– Reports exist. No one uses them.
Deception– Reports are created. But the information is wrong because of an incomplete or incorrect implementation of the tool.
Ideal State- Data driven culture. Right people with right tools.
Maturity - Have moved beyond basic web analytics.
A great holiday gift you can give your company (and it doesn't even cost anything), is to find out which category describes your company's attitude and try to move from the red through the yellow to the green. And maybe someday, the data haters won't even be a category.
OK. I am off to trim the tree. Even if it is 71 degrees outside.
More to come later this week.
More to come later this week.
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