Engine Works
Under the hood of Alteryx: tips, tricks and how-tos.
Problems. We all have them. Problems. They need solving. Problems. We tackle them one of two ways. The IT Way, or the Line of Business Way. Which way is right? Well, it's like Alec Guiness said when he was a dead Obi Wan Kenobi talking to Luke Skywalker (sorry you non Star Wars fans, and Star Wars geeks who think this is one of the worst plot lines in the original trilogy) ... it depends on "a certain point of view".
Let's answer these two questions before we delve deeper ... "How DOES Business solve problems?", and "How does IT solve problems?"
Hopefully you've read my previous blog describing Data and Information are Two Different Things. It's key to this discussion.
Let's start with Business.
Business has a PROBLEM. To solve the problem, Business needs INFORMATION. If Business does not have access to, or cannot find the relevant information, Business MUST derive the information from DATA. Problem -> Information -> Data. It's as straightforward as that (at a high-level).
How about IT and problem-solving?
IT has a problem. To solve the problem, IT starts with DATA. IT typically has access to all the data they need! Great place to start. IT then turns data into INFORMATION, and then applies the information to the PROBLEM. Data -> Information -> Problem. Again, pretty straightforward (again, at a high-level).
Same three buckets. One group is coming from one direction, the other group, from the opposite way.
But when it comes to truly solving organizational problems, COMMUNICATION is the KEY for streamlined resolution and efficiency.
Here's what I mean.
IT: "Give us the requirements and we'll solve your problem".
Business: "Give us access to the data and we'll solve our own problem".
Sigh.
I've seen this play out in many an organization.
Invariably, Business will provide requirements and IT will "go away" to solve the problem. Here's what happens in the aftermath when these two entities don't communicate:
IT: "Here's the solution to the problem as described in the requirements."
Business: "You've given us what we ASKED for ... but it's not what we WANT".
Ouch.
I really don't want to know how many of you have been on one side or the other in this conversation ...
Let's revisit ...
Same 3 buckets.
Business: Problem -> Information -> Data
IT: Data -> Information -> Problem
"You've given us what we ASKED for ... but it's not what we WANT".
It's THIS reason I've been telling IT to STOP SOLVING BUSINESS PROBLEMS. Wow. STOP. SOLVING. BUSINESS. PROBLEMS.
Instead, work to provide good, quality INFORMATION.
Let Business solve their own problems.
If IT provides good, quality information, then Business invariably won't have to go all the way back to data.
How's that look?
IT: Data -> Information
Business: Problem -> Information
Yoda: Problem-solving streamlined. "Do, or do not. There is no try."
