Before You Ask for That Report - Start Here
“"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." – Stephen Hawking
Every business wants to be data-driven. But the truth is, having dashboards or reports doesn’t automatically lead to better decisions. It often leads to more noise—unless your team understands the story behind the numbers.
And that’s where context comes in.
Whether your team is two people or twenty, analysts can bring enormous value to your business. But only if you set them up to work on the right problems, not just chase metrics. Otherwise, you risk wasting time, repeating past work, or missing insights altogether.
A Missed Step That Cost Weeks
At one mid-sized company, a digital leader asked the analytics team to support new marketing campaigns. The team was new to the data, and turnover had erased much of the institutional knowledge around earlier efforts.
The ask was urgent: build customer profiles to guide campaign targeting.
But just a week into the project, an analyst uncovered an old set of customer segments saved in a shared drive—nearly identical to what they were building from scratch. With that one discovery, weeks of work were avoided.
The lesson? The problem wasn’t the data—it was the lack of context. A few upfront questions could have saved the team a lot of time.
Five Things Your Data Team Wishes You Knew
1. Good Analysis Starts with Clarity—Not Just Data
Analytics isn’t about pulling numbers on demand. It’s about solving the right problem. When the request is vague—“Can you run a report?”—your team is left guessing what matters.
Your move:
Start with the decision you're trying to make. What problem are you solving? What outcome are you aiming for?
This clarity helps your team deliver insights that actually drive action—not just charts.
2. Data Doesn’t Speak for Itself—It Needs Translation
Knowing how many people visited your site, clicked a button, or unsubscribed isn’t enough. The real value comes from understanding why those things are happening—and what to do next.
Your move:
Don’t just ask for numbers. Ask for the story behind them. Push for recommendations, not just reporting.
That’s where your data team can shine.
3. Not All Data Is Ready for Prime Time
Sometimes the data you want is outdated, incomplete, or messy. When analysts flag issues, it’s not to delay—it’s to help you avoid decisions built on shaky ground.
Your move:
When your team raises concerns, take them seriously. Ask what can be done in the meantime.
They’ll appreciate being asked instead of pushed past.
4. Rework Is the Enemy—Do a Little Homework First
If your business has been running for more than a few months, chances are someone has already worked on a similar problem. It’s easy to overlook existing analysis when there’s urgency—but doing so costs time and money.
Your move:
Before submitting a new request, ask if this has been explored before. Even skimming past decks or summaries can save hours.
Five minutes of homework can prevent five weeks of rework.
5. Analysts Want to Solve Problems—Not Just Produce Reports
Good analysts aren’t in it for the pivot tables. They want to dig into real problems and make a difference. But too often, they’re brought in only after decisions are made or plans are set.
Your move:
Bring them in early. Let them hear your challenges first-hand. Treat them like strategic partners, not just data support.
You’ll get better solutions—and they’ll be more invested in the outcome.
The Cut Through
You don’t need to know statistics or coding to get real value from analytics. You just need to lead with clarity, curiosity, and a little context.
When business owners and analysts work as partners, you get sharper decisions, faster pivots, and fewer wasted hours chasing the wrong problem. That’s when data stops being an overhead expense—and starts becoming your edge.