When we talk about ‘analytics’, most of us tend to think that it is reserved for the top management. However, analytics should not be reserved for the chosen few at the top, but for all employees, cutting across various departments within an organization. Unfortunately, the reality is that top management in most companies keep analytics for themselves. This results in limiting the thinking capability of employees, keeping problem-solving and innovation at a minimal level. This creates a ‘thinking gap’ that organizations must avoid.

During the pre-internet era, most ‘analytical thinking’ was done by teams directly under management. But today, the best source for the best metrics that help management make the right decisions at the right time are found with employees working at the bottom of the pyramid. Enabling them with high-end analytical tools and techniques creates the potential for bringing out the critical thinking and innovative problem-solving for which all businesses yearn.

However, even today, analytics lacks enterprise-wide penetration in most organizations, according to a recent study done by SAP. This creates that thinking gap referred to earlier.

Closing the Thinking Gap
According to the study, achieving this enterprise-wide penetration of analytics tools become the responsibility of the IT group. IT must extend analytics to the widest possible base of business users in order to deliver the insights management requires to achieve better and faster decision-making.

Simultaneously, management must begin the effort to build a data-driven culture. Ensuring that business decisions are based on real-time data is crucial to achieving organizational objectives. To this end, arming your employees with analytical tools under a self-governance structure controlled by IT ultimately leads to far-reaching results. Many companies today are rapidly moving towards a single version of the truth where the business users are more aligned with the company strategy.

I think it is time for us to embrace a data-driven culture as well. What do you think? Let me know.
At Phoenix, we help companies become intelligent enterprises. Reach out to me if you wish to learn more about our services.

By: Venkat