Building an analysis ecosystem for a smarter approach to intelligence Keith Carter's Actionable Intelligence: A Guide to Delivering Business Results with Big Data Fast! is the comprehensive guide to achieving the dream that business intelligence practitioners have been chasing since the concept itself came into being. Written by an IT visionary with extensive global supply chain experience and insight, this book describes what happens when team members have accurate, reliable, usable, and timely information at their fingertips. With a focus on leveraging big data, the book provides expert guidance on developing an analytical ecosystem to effectively manage, use the internal and external information to deliver business results.
This book is written by an author who's been in the trenches for people who are in the trenches. It's for practitioners in the real world, who know delivering results is easier said than done – fraught with failure, and difficult politics. A landscape where reason and passion are needed to make a real difference.
This book lays out the appropriate way to establish a culture of fact-based decision making, innovation, forward looking measurements, and appropriate high-speed governance. Readers will enable their organization to:
- Answer strategic questions faster
- Reduce data acquisition time and increase analysis time to improve outcomes
- Shift the focus to positive results rather than past failures
- Expand opportunities by more effectively and thoughtfully leveraging information
Big data makes big promises, but it cannot deliver without the right recipe of people, processes and technology in place. It's about choosing the right people, giving them the right tools, and taking a thoughtful—rather than formulaic--approach. Actionable Intelligence provides expert guidance toward envisioning, budgeting, implementing, and delivering real benefits.
Table of Contents:
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Vision of Actionable Intelligence 5
The Challenge at Hand 7
The Big Data Lie 13
Actionable Intelligence: The Road and the Destination 14
Stages of Actionable Intelligence: Getting Ready for the Journey by Knowing Where You Are and Where to Go 22
Are You Ready to Take the First Step? 26
Summary and Considerations 29
Notes 29
Chapter 2: Discovery of the Business Situation (Business Discovery) 31
Government Intelligence 34
Ask the Questions 37
Answer the Questions: Business Discovery 38
Visual Consistency and the First Tool 42
Off to the Races 45
Summary and Considerations 45
Notes 45
Chapter 3: Creating a Foundation of Data 47
Building the Foundation 48
Benefits of Having the Right Data 49
The Data Challenge 50
Acquire Data in Four Consistent Steps 51
The Byproduct: Master Data Management 61
Data Management Issues in the Spotlight 63
The Data Supply Chain 65
Build the House 65
Summary and Considerations 67
Notes 68
Chapter 4: Visualization 69
Complete Circle 70
So Now, How Can You Do It? 74
The Way Ahead 77
Example of Iterative Visualization to Solve the Question “How Do I Get There Quickly, Safely, Efficiently:” Leveraging Global Positioning System Data 77
Effective Visualizations: Tell a Story to Your Mind 80
Noticing Visualization Pitfalls 80
Summary and Considerations 83
Notes 83
Chapter 5: The Initial Answers 85
Attempting to Regularly Capture Benefits, False Starts, and a Rhythm 87
The Results of Actionable Intelligence Delivered 87
The Power of Quotes 89
Possibilities with Actionable Intelligence 89
Almost Done? 98
Summary and Considerations 99
Note 99
Chapter 6: Time for Change 101
Collaborative Business Planning 103
Linking Collaboration to Actionable Intelligence 106
Summary and Considerations 110
Chapter 7: Governance: Funding Intelligence, Protecting the Results 111
An Actionable Intelligence Governance Methodology 112
Intelligence Budgeting 121
Remember the Key Points of the UPS Story 122
Governing the Use of Actionable Intelligence and Establishing Data Security 125
Summary and Considerations 133
Notes 133
Chapter 8: Sustaining Delivery of Actionable Intelligence 135
Leading Intelligence 136
Quick Wins to Build Trust 140
Hiring Done Right for Big Data with Big Data 145
Training 148
Business Cultural Change 149
Communication 155
Knowledge Lock‐In 157
What’s Next? 159
Summary and Considerations 161
Notes 161
Chapter 9: Tying It All Together 163
Clifford Siegel’s Journey at Lifetime Brands 163
Starting the Right Way 165
Finding the Right Pitch 166
Developing a Mission and Strategy for Intelligence Capabilities 167
TIE: The Intelligent Enterprise at STATS ChipPAC with Elizabeth Lim 170
The Recipe to Greatness 174
Summary and Considerations 179
Notes 180
Chapter 10: Next Frontiers 181
A Healthier Lifestyle with Actionable Intelligence 183
The Street‐Smart Cabbies 184
The Amplified Customer Experience 186
Selling Better 187
Serve Me Better . . . But Don’t Intrude on My Private Life 188
Getting Started 189
The Starbucks Experience 190
Summary and Considerations 191
Notes 191
Chapter 11: Epilogue 193
Four Steps of Actionable Intelligence 195
About the Author 197
About the Contributors 199
Index 201
About the Author :
KEITH B. CARTER enjoys making the lives of others easier with technology and is an avid sportsman, private pilot, fencer, and family man. Born in Long Island, he spent most of his life in New York until moving to Singapore in 2012, where he currently resides. Always interested in both corporate and academic roles, Keith is working as Visiting Senior Fellow of Decision Sciences at the prestigious National University of Singapore Business School as well as principal advisor to KPMG, board member of Mentorica Technology Pte. Ltd. (a retail sales, mobile, big data solution provider), and board member of 1st Call Consulting, a competitive intelligence firm specializing in finance and supply chain. He previously worked at Estée Lauder in supply chain and Accenture in financial services and government. As an inventor, he recently received a patent on a financial intelligence tool design. Keith has a Master's in Business Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor's in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
