Anaytics tools can spot patterns and details in data you possess. But innovation consultant Larry Keeley is fond of saying “Sometimes things change.” And keeping your tools sharp can be a challenge in a fast-moving, changing business environment.
Keeley leads the innovation adviser Doblin and has done so long enough to see dramatic, creative business advantages turn into commodities. Just think of the uniqueness of Dell custom-made computers, built when you ordered them, or Zipcar‘s auto-sharing. It wasn’t long before rivals embraced a similar approach.
Confusion over greenhouse gas measurement rules is a present-day issue for companies worrying about measuring the carbon footprint and using analytics to track the output. Do we start a program now or wait for final rules? Scientists are still arguing whether carbon dioxide is the most prevalent and dangerous gas – others claimed it was methane. And it turns out that schools, churches, empty fields and other non-industrial sites expel plenty of methane.
So what to measure and where? Is it fair to tax emissions or the total amount of fuel consumed? Would you look at a stack of firewood and say it represents an hour of potential fire, warmth and smoke – or only when its burned? Or tally the smoke at the top of a chimney to evaluate the impact?
Some U.S. states tax gasoline at the fuel pump, others put tolls on highways to tax based on use and still others use a ‘total miles driven formula’ to assess your impact. Which is best? It depends. And what you measure — and how — affects the outcomes.
How long has it been since you re-evaluated your evaluation process? What has changed since your business intelligence program started?
