Know how to say it
People ask me, with fair regularity, why analytics teams, analytics projects, and all things related to analytics are unique. As we have described along the way in our discussion, analytics initiatives rely on a mind-boggling array of moving and interrelated parts: technologies, corporate strategy, functional tactics, data, external suppliers, executives, senior managers, and the analytics team.
This constantly moving collection of elements is complex to understand, manage, and drive in a coherent direction.
It is even more complex for people who have little to no understanding of any of the component parts, let alone the whole of the ecosystem. You need to assume that the executives you are engaging with have little to no knowledge of any part of this environment, and at the same time, they have very little interest in the topic. They may have a strong interest in the possible outcome(s) and changes that can be driven through analytics, but it may be dangerous...
