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What's In It For Me?


When we meet with the leadership of an organization, this question quite often comes up:

What can data do for me?

This is another way of asking, "What's in it for me?" The context at that point in the conversation is almost always along one of the following lines:

  • We have data, but don't know how to use it.
  • We should be collecting data, but don't know how.
  • We don't have the resources to work with our data or collect the data we need.

The WIFM question is understandable because the terms data, analytics, statistics, data science, machine learning, and AI are sometimes challenging to connect to the day-to-day work of a business or not-for-profit.

The following articles represent the best easy-to-digest written resources we've found to help executives, directors, and boards better contemplate WIFM.

I have data. I need insights. Where do I start?

A 5 minute read. When you reach the image with two humps you'll think,   "Aha! How can I do that!"

The AI Hierarchy of Needs

A 6 minute read. Provides a pithy overview of the stages from data to AI. The terms are a little techy but very readable. While many organizations won't have near-term AI needs, leaders should easily see where in the hierarchy their organization stands.

The Business of AI

A Harvard Business Review article written by two MIT professors. This is a 15 to 30 minute read. Spoiler alert: The final sentence is: "Over the next decade, AI won't replace managers, but managers who use AI will replace those who don't."