- David Leslie
- September 4, 2024
Much like the discovery methodology before it, a rock-solid delivery methodology is fundamental to the success of any data project.
Over many years, our methodology has been iterated, streamlined, and now consists of 4 x 1-2 week sprints (depending on complexity) that take us from the raw data right through to initial dashboards/outputs.
Throughout the entirety of our Delivery Methodology, we are continually testing against the mutually agreed overarching strategy, success measures & business goals identified in the previous workshops
Sprint 1: The Initial Stage of Turning Data Into Insights
Data Connections & Collection
Understanding and executing the very best ways to get at the data needed. This could be automated via custom APIs, pulled from spreadsheets, dropped in to an FTP space and everything in-between.
The key here is striking a balance between choosing the method of connection and collection that provides us with the most up to date data that we can get & the effort/time involved in creating those connections.
Database Build
Building the infrastructure that will house your data in a way that offers perfect accessibility and speed right now, but is also infinitely scalable as the business grows is the name of the game here. Solid foundations and upfront work at this point allow for seamless growth in the future.
Data Modelling
Once the data has been ingested it’s time to make sense of it. This is where our dedicated team of data architects and engineers start to bring together your disparate data sources, making connections and logical joins to build a holistic data model that’s going to provide you with a single version of the truth moving forward.
Sprint 2: Advanced Data Analytics for Actionable Insights
Initial Dashboard Build
This is where we start to put a front-end on the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes. Start to build an analytics experience for the end users. What we’re doing here is trying to convey as much valuable information as possible in an intuitive and approachable way.
Initial Insight Discovery
Our experts will then start to analyse and uncover never seen before insights from the data sets. We’re not looking to become analysts but looking to put together a story that we can use to build understanding and momentum when we get to hand-over of the dashboard.
Digging Into ‘So What?’ Questions
This stage is so important. The reality is that the first insight you go looking for / stumble across is very rarely the ones that will generate the maximum impact. We start to question the initial insights and dig down to the next level of detail
Sprint 3: Playback, Training & Handovers of Data Insights
Playback to Customer/End User
Time to unveil what we’ve been hard at work at behind the scenes. This is about getting end users excited and engaged. This isn’t about delivering all the answers, it’s about leaving the end users of the dashboard excited about getting their hands on it.
Training
Kind of obvious but incredibly important and, unbelievably, often overlooked.
Whilst we try to build the most intuitive environments possible, there’s no denying that there is a learning curve when it comes to analysing data, even when it’s visualized perfectly.
Giving user the tools to overcome the initial learning curve is imperative. Once an end user pops analytics in the ‘too hard’ bucket, it’s very hard to get them back.
Handovers
Ensuring that everyone has what they need when it comes to inserting data and analytics into their day-to-day roles.
Regular check-ins and clinics can help in trouble-shooting any challenges early. It’s key here not to take your hands off and leave your new users to sink.
Now this is where many of these processes end, but for us, it’s just getting going. From here we move into a cycle of infinite iterations with a view co continually questioning our approach and pushing for more and more impact.
Sprint 4: The Infinitive Iterations to Become Truly Data-Driven
Initial Feedback
Here we bring together a user group made up of the people that have been using the dashboards day in day out. We want to know what’s working, what isn’t? What’s been interesting? What’s missing?
Iterate
We’ll then take that feedback and iterate the dashboard. Bring in extra data sets, create new visualisations, come up with new ways of conveying the most important insights.
The last sprint, feedback and iteration, are carried on throughout the entirety of the relationship. Our Customer Engagement Specialists pick up the baton to facilitate the conversations around feedback, and that’s continuously fed back to our operations team to keep pushing for extra insights.
How would the delivery process look like for your business?
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