There are three main ways that organizations use data and analytics in their organization:

1. Enhancing customer/product experience

2. Enhancing employee experience

3. Increasing operational efficiencies

Individual data science efforts will often cross more than one of these areas.

I am writing this post because I see organizations making decisions more often based on increasing operational efficiencies than enhancing customer/product or employee experience. Cutting costs is the shiny object that never goes wrong on an earnings call. But does it add to the long-term value of your product, your organization, and your most valuable assets, your employees? Often, the answer is a short-term yes but a long-term no.

Be a leader that delivers customer and employee value from the power of data and analytics first. Along the way, some operational efficiencies will come along as part of your efforts.