Data to Dollars™ Framework + Methodology - The Book

Jaime Fitzgerald

Save space on your bookshelf, desk, and kindle for The Data to Dollars™ Value Chain:   A Practical Guide to Successful Analytics Projects

Last year Jaime Fitzgerald agreed to write a book based on the methodology used by Fitzgerald Analytics, the consultancy he founded nearly 8 years ago.  The book will be published by Elsevier, under their Morgan Kaufmann imprint.

Fitzgerald's framework (The Data to Dollars Value Chain™) and the associated methodology and toolkit brings structure and efficiency to the messy work of turning data into results, helping teams plan and execute more successful projects.   Keep reading for an introduction to the book what makes it unique.

Abstract:

For many organizations, data has become the ultimate intangible asset.  In raw form, it is useless, yet when used well it becomes priceless.   This book is about the practical, specific, step-by-step process by which data is transformed into concrete value for organizations of all sizes and types.

Unfortunately, relatively few analytics projects, teams, and technology investments achieve their full potential.  When analytics projects go well, the results are extraordinary.  Existing businesses have transformed themselves using analytics, new businesses models have been built on analytics and innovators are using analytics to achieve social goals including saving lives, improving healthcare, and empowering the poor.  Unfortunately, the “dirty secret” is that most analytics projects fail to achieve their potential.
  

This book is a practical guide to creating successful analytics projects, teams, and ongoing initiatives.  It contains all the components of the process, methods, and templates used by Fitzgerald Analytics to help dozens of clients unlock millions of dollars in results.  The benefit of the approach we share in this book is to “reduce the barrier to benefit” from analytics, enabling teams to get more from their analytics effort despite inevitable constraints in budgets, staff talent and experience, knowledge, data quality and availability, and even political barriers within organizations.

Unique Features of the Book:

1.   Unique Framework Addressing a Critical Barrier.  Unlike most books which focus on one or more parts of journey from raw data to concrete results, this book provides map to the entire trip.  What we call the Data to Dollars™ Value Chain is a complex, cross-functional process involving hundreds of steps.  Without a structured framework, roadmap, and toolkit, many analytic efforts fail.  Our framework helps executives, practitioners, and stakeholders from all departments identify opportunities, decide how to capitalize on them, plan, collaborate, execute, and repeat.

2.   Practical Knowledge You Can Use:  This book is not focused on narrative, storytelling, or inspiring case studies.  Instead, it is focused on transferring knowledge the reader can use to improve their own projects, careers, and organizations by using data, analytics, and technology to enhance results. 

3.   Practical Tools and Processes:  The books contents and associated templates will make it unusually feasible for readers to apply our framework, use the methodologies, and adopt the process we share in the book.  The book will make this easier by including illustrated processes, customizable templates, and detailed instructions, both in the book and via electronic files which will accompany the book.

4.   Useful to organizations regardless of size, sector, or geography.   The concepts, best practices, methodologies, and templates in this book can be used by organizations across society, including small and large businesses, government, health care, domestic non-profits, social-entrepreneurs, and international NGOs.  This is possible because while goals and resources vary, our structured process allows better planning and execution for any goal, as long as the organization knows what their goals are.

Top 10 Books on Analytics -- A Data to Dollars™ Starter Library

Several years ago I created a list on Amazon called  Top 10 Books on Analytics -- A Data to Dollars™ Starter Library which listed 10 books I recommend to my teammates, my clients, and use myself.  

I'm updating the list for 2013 -- what recent books do you believe should to be added?

-Jaime Fitzgerald

Reflections on Eckerson's Book "Performance Dashboards"

The second edition of Wayne Eckerson's Performance Dashboards: Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business" is a practical, substantial yet accessible guide to a topic that has continued to gain importance since the release of the book's popular first edition. Measurement-based-management has become an essential part of the Information Landscape™, and yet it's not easy to do well.

I recommend the book to teammates, clients, and fellow practitioners. I particularly appreciate Eckerson's straight-forward writing about the human dynamics within an organization that can negatively impact the design and implementation of effective dashboards -- an important and often overlooked topic. The book has become standard reading in my firm.

One such human dynamic that resonates with us at FA is the well-known "distrust," as Eckerson describes it, that exists at many organizations between technologists and business people. We have seen this disconnect time and again in a variety of industries.

Eckerson offers a number of tips for overcoming this difficulty, including integrated departments in which technologists aren't physically - and socially - separated from their business counter-parts, and instead these integrated teams share supervisors, regular meetings, and incentives.  This is a great idea from our point of view.  In fact, doing this will likely replicate some of the value my team brings to our clients:  clients often hires us because we "speak the language" of both technologists and business people, and have often served as a trusted translator between the two functions when integration between departments is not possible.