Analytics with Useful Data; the Brahmastra we need!

The Mahabharata is decorated with tales of mighty kings, of strategies and plays, of drama and grandeur, of characters and insipirations. One such very important character is that of Karna. Karna who was born a Kshatriya but abandoned at birth was brought up by a charioteer. Growing up, his quest for the knowledge of Kshatriyas took him first to Dronacharya and upon being rejected by him, to Parashuram for warfare training. He even feigned to be a brahmin to get this knowledge from Parushuram. A huge price indeed, but that was how much he wanted to learn. When his disguise got exposed, Karna was cursed by Parushuram that during his most needy hour, the Brahmastra will not manifest itself because Karna will forget the mantra to invoke it. A lot of knowledge but not one that could save his life! No amount of practice helped reverse this and despite being allied with the powerful Kauravas, Karna had to face the curse all alone.?

In our very dynamic, rapidly changing atmosphere of the business world, the newest and very prominent challenge being faced by organisations today is the available of large amounts of data but the lack of capability to make it useful. In effect we have all become huge data collectors but don’t know how to use them effectively. What is the point of the Brahmastra if it can’t save our lives?

Well thankfully, we aren’t cursed by Parushuram, we can invoke the weapon and it will manifest itself when needed. We just need to figure out the angle, the reason, the need, the timing, etc. We need to understand our own data, respect the power it has, consolidate them, project them, use them at the appropriate places at the correct timings, make them available to the right people as and when they need it.

Now although a lot of businesses in our country still use instinct for most crucial decision making, it is clear that businesses are scaling to newer heights at a much more rapid pace than anticipated. And due to this, the focus of decision making needs to be distributed to more people and it can come actually be driven by their own data. Taking decisions regularly is so much more important than being stagnant. It is also clear that multiple iterations of decision making will result in bad plus good decisions; but inertia will be a bigger deterrent to growth. Good decision making can definitely be invoked by the mantra (read: power) of data. So instead of just collecting it, putting it to good use and saving the lives of our businesses and making them grow is the sole purpose why they exist in the first place.

Better analytics, available data in forms that are more understandable, comprehensible, readable and usable for multiple layers of people in the organisation is the need of the hour. At every level some or the other decisions are taken. Just instinct can’t help each time, strategic decision making with data is really necessary. There are many Karnas out there waiting to learn how to use the Brahmastra, together we can help them invoke that power. Just pure skill and knowledge, no conditions (curses) attached.

Happy Dat(a)-ing this season!