The Seven Deadly Sins of Data Analysts

With business success increasingly dependent on effective data management, expectations are set pretty high for BI analysts these days. Rising pressures often lead to cutting corners and invalid data. Not good! Especially because some of these offenses can put your organization in deadly peril. Tread carefully and be mindful that you aren’t guilty of the seven deadly sins of data analysts:

• Worshipping False Idols: Poor Data Quality. You may be the high priest of your organization’s data but are you misleading your flock with unreliable, unverified data? You’d better sharpen up your act before users discover your feet are made of clay.
• Gluttony: Too Much Data to Swallow. If you’re overwhelmed with data coming at you from multiple sources, the prospect of accessing and correlating it all must be daunting. But, if different data sources aren’t reconciled, you can end up with mismatched facts and misinterpreted information. This is one of the deadliest data sins as it can result in perilous business decisions.
• Avarice: Not Enough Data. Do you feel you always need more data than you’ve got? In today’s highly-connected world, take a tip from Gordon Gekko: greed is good. Analysts that just rely on the data that’s easily available instead of gathering data from all sources aren’t giving their users the full picture.
• Hubris: Inflexible Reports. When you believe your reports are already perfect and you’re churning out the same format month after month, you’re evidently too proud to talk to your users about what they really want. Maybe you’re secretly afraid to change them because you’re stuck with a reporting system that can’t adapt? If you can’t deliver reports that meet the needs of ordinary mortals, then you are no angel.
• Sloth: Poor Feedback Cycles. It’s easy to become reluctant to fulfill user requests when little tweaks turn into frequent late-night sessions battling with the reporting tool.
• Wrath: Stale Data. Effective decisions are made with fresh, real-time data. It’s not good when your A/B testing tells you that A is better than B when the campaign is already over.
• Envy: Arms-Length IT. Many data specialists find they’re cut off from the IT resources they need to get things done. They throw their requests over the wall at IT, but often it takes weeks or months for results to come back. Disconnect between analysts and the IT department can lead to an office plagued with resentment.

Do you define yourself as a data sinner? There is a new tool that makes doing the right thing a little easier: Progress Easyl. With Easyl, accessing, blending, and reporting data is simplified. Beyond leveraging data integration to improving satisfaction levels, Easyl helps your organization become data-centric, allowing marketing, sales, IT and analytics to more seamlessly work together. Repent your sins, empower your organization with meaningful data-decision making and check out Progress Easyl today. You can find product information here and even download a free trial.

Have questions? We have answers at @DataDirect_News