❯ Influencing with Data: From Apathy to Action
Category: Science
Series: Data Culture
FROM APATHY
If you've been in the numbers game long enough, you know the easiest part is the data itself. Ingestion to presentation (usually) isn't hard. The challenge is getting teams to take action on the data.
Most teams are looking to do their job better: less ambiguity, better decisions, higher probability to win. It's no fault of theirs that questions are free and answers cost money. So, teams generate genuine requests that can take weeks to months with five to six figure spends. Yet, in the end, the same teams nod with appreciation and continue to operate as they have. It's difficult to shift operations or strategy. It's less malice, more apathy.
There isn't a magical fix for influencing with and getting to data-driven action.
TO ACTION
That said, some methods have a higher hit-rate than others. For research and analytics, one method I've seen effectively break the apathy barrier has been a concoction of workshops and (broad) communication.
Here's how we've ran this playbook as a workshop:
Pre-work: Homework for attendees.
Section 01: Set the context for the workshop.
Section 02: Explore the data and ideate actions.
Section 03: Refine and prioritize for execution.
Post-shop: Communicate progress and accountability broadly.
Pre-work: Homework for Attendees
Have the team's decision-maker stack rank the overall business objectives (something like (GEM from Biddle) to frame the workshop's conversation.
For all attendees, share the research or analysis everyone will reference in the workshop.
Section 01: Setup, Rules, Agenda, and Other Context
Set the ground rules (today's purpose, timing, agenda, how it will work, final decision-makers)
Share and cover the stack-ranked objectives: explain them briefly (what each means, advantages, and disadvantages).
Explain how the objectives will be used in the output and next sections.
Section 02: Explore and Ideate with DIBBs
Begin with sharing Spotify's DIBB framework (a more elaborate "what -> so what -> now what" framework). Make it tangible with a company-specific example.
Data - what is the fact or observation?
Insight - what is the data saying to you?
Belief - What theory do you have based on your insight?
Bet - What action should be taken as a result of your belief?
Activity-wise, have team spend a significant chunk of time writing down their DIBBs. The intent is forced individual time, so one voice doesn’t rule the crowd, with periodic check-ins.
Place DIBBs in a common space (post-its on a white board, in Miro, etc). The facilitator can optionally categorize the bets together.
Section 03: Prioritization and Action
Assuming a more democratic approach, have everyone vote on bets that should move forward to Round 2. Everyone gets a limited number of votes. Decision-makers get one automatic move forward for a single bet.
Have the team or the decision-maker size and prioritize the bets, then get alignment in the way that makes sense within your organization.
Once final priority is aligned on, assess to ensure the right mix of bets based on the objective stack ranking from Section 01.
Post-Shop: Communicate Progress and Accountability
After the workshop, share broadly and publicly the initiatives that will be worked on. Be clear on the champion and executors (or DACI) for each.
Keep initiatives publicly accessible and updated. It serves as a reference for others and accountability for the leaders of the initiative.
CREATING INFLECTION POINTS
We've used approaches like this at Crossroads to drive choices for organizational strategy, design target or persona decisions, and department-level initiatives with surprising potency. The reason for it's efficacy? My hunch is that it introduces an inflection point: space to understand the data and decide on the changes. The workshop involves decision-makers in the process, gives the attendees structured time to reflect and decide on action, and creates accountability and commitment with broad communication.
Snapshot:
A warehouse became my home away from home: it held the Family Business. Lemon boxes were used as forts (and beds when we had blankets). My first hard-earned dollar came from peeling carrots and loading pallets. Countless hours were spent at Central and Paddock, surrounded by a loving family looking to make a living.
Striving for better,
Justin Pichichero