Data & Visualizations: The bloodline of Continuous Improvement

Hey there! You read the headline? Do you agree with me? Then you’ll enjoy this dumbed down analogy. You do not agree with me? Then read the article until the end and let me know in the comment section ;) 

Imagine you are on a treadmill hoping to burn those extra calories by running for a couple of minutes without the display on your screen. How long will you run? Now imagine a run when your treadmill screen shows you time, the calories burnt (and some other jargon, which I never understand).

Which was your best performance? Why?

Most of us perform better in the second scenario with the data on the screen. Why is this? The simple answer is “continuous feedback”

(Read further to know the long answer)

Let us dig a bit deeper now, most of us have a cognitive bias to interpret our real-time performance being better or worse than actual. So, we tend to adjust it to either over perform or underperform. To remove this subjective opinion out of the equation continuous feedback in the form of data or visualizations is essential.

Similar to this treadmill situation, when an organization adopts a continuous improvement methodology, it is promising itself to hit the gym every day and be better than the previous day. The only way to stay true to this commitment is adopting a decision framework influenced by data and keeping itself motivated and informed via visualizations/continuous feedback. So, visualization of data is key to an organization’s improvement goals. Handing over people their progress makes wonders and move them towards their goals at a better pace.

Finally yet importantly, these visualizations(feedback) need to be meaningful and actionable. (No one wants his or her height and weather conditions on the treadmill!)