Addicted to the thin, don't forget the thick
This week's leadership TWIG (*see below) is a reminder that we have become quite besotted - perhaps even addicted - to 'big' quantitative data. Typically this is number or rating based information drawn from a large population of some kind, which then allows us to generate patterns, trends and a whole raft of clever-sounding statistical interpretations.
As Christian Madsbjerg points out in his excellent Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, this big data is very wide, but also very thin. It's when we take the time to look at the 'thick' data (the qualitative, context- and narrative-rich, conversational and ethnographic) that we get a much more nuanced picture and the opportunity to genuinely know in more refined ways.
Big, thin data is not a bad place to start. But without the richness of thick data to tell a fulsome enough story, there's a good chance you're going to miss a trick, draw a not particularly well informed conclusion, or make a hasty decision. Without real stories, a leader's sensemaking is always going to be limited, and potentially very flawed.
So, having spotted a trend or a pattern, have some conversations. Ask some people for their on-the-ground experiences with it. Get some background stories and take the time to extend some narratives. Remember: thick data, not just thin.
领英推荐
* I use TWIG as the concept of (a) growing something new (a new awareness, skill or 'branch' to what you currently already know) but also (b) becoming equipped to 'catch on', realising or suddenly understanding something that is in fact right in front of you in the performative leadership moment (from the Gaelic 'tuig').
Access the LeadRede self-coaching learning journey attached to this TWIG.
Author, Consultant, Retired Principal
1 年A brilliant piece. It reminds me of the myth that "thick writing" is quality writing. What can be worse is when people - humans who all have the capacity to misinterpret or oversimplify - do the analyzing via formulas and averaging of the gobs of data - through their strainers to make "dashboards" - an easy way for trustees and busy decision-makers to make quick light of the matter - to make swift decisions such as may closing of charter schools. Sadly, some of the schools with the most needy communities are being managed *not lead" by such thick data - so thick there is no quality control on the data interpretation itself...A very timely article. We must take time to read and make our own sense of the big stories behind the numbers. Trustees should not rely on others to do their thinking for them. Thank you for the read!