Donald Farmer, who helped make SQL Server and Qlik what they are today, sees data resistance much like Lenin saw worker consciousness: It's not about tools, it's about trust. Here's how to build it—and one common tactic to avoid.
Politics is the craft of change management. Most of these data-resistance manifestations can be viewed as inertia -- stickiness within a present mode, inertia against a change of habit or practice or worldview. Fortunately, there is a well-eatablished body of knowledge for Change Management. It is deeply rooted in Psychology and Sociology. It can make a huge difference, if only Data Management and Decision Management professionals can take their eyes off the digits and refocus on the people. Political? Yep. Like the rest of life in this space we share with others.
I agree with Scott -- but one point I'd add is that maybe part of the issue is that many folks have evolved based on a series of core values that have become constants and standard over their lifetime. To the point where there are a series of "sacred elephant" ideas that they simply can't or won't argue or reconsider. Let me offer a few...
* Orange juice is a great breakfast beverage. It's healthy and filled with vitamin C.
* Eggs are filled with cholesterol and are incredibly unhealthy
* Margerine has polyunsaturated fat -- it's healthier than butter
These are simple non-numeric messages that were programmed into many of us as children that have affected how we behave, what we believe, and how we act. My point is that when it comes to advanced analytics or data analysis -- many people did not grow up in a household of doctors, mathematicians, or scientists. Many folks were not "brainwashed" into the importance of evolving an idea to a hypothesis to a theory. Many want to believe they know the answer because of a lifetime of experience or some special skill or sense. Or -- they simply think that studying data is a waste of time and not necessary. They think the idea is proof enough.
Politics is the craft of change management. Most of these data-resistance manifestations can be viewed as inertia -- stickiness within a present mode, inertia against a change of habit or practice or worldview. Fortunately, there is a well-eatablished body of knowledge for Change Management. It is deeply rooted in Psychology and Sociology. It can make a huge difference, if only Data Management and Decision Management professionals can take their eyes off the digits and refocus on the people. Political? Yep. Like the rest of life in this space we share with others.
I agree with Scott -- but one point I'd add is that maybe part of the issue is that many folks have evolved based on a series of core values that have become constants and standard over their lifetime. To the point where there are a series of "sacred elephant" ideas that they simply can't or won't argue or reconsider. Let me offer a few...
* Orange juice is a great breakfast beverage. It's healthy and filled with vitamin C.
* Eggs are filled with cholesterol and are incredibly unhealthy
* Margerine has polyunsaturated fat -- it's healthier than butter
These are simple non-numeric messages that were programmed into many of us as children that have affected how we behave, what we believe, and how we act. My point is that when it comes to advanced analytics or data analysis -- many people did not grow up in a household of doctors, mathematicians, or scientists. Many folks were not "brainwashed" into the importance of evolving an idea to a hypothesis to a theory. Many want to believe they know the answer because of a lifetime of experience or some special skill or sense. Or -- they simply think that studying data is a waste of time and not necessary. They think the idea is proof enough.
100%. Mark Madsen and I were discussing sticky-but-untested stories like those you point out (assumptions that I generally refer to as myths) in another one of Ted's posts on this theme. https://datadoodle.substack.com/p/data-promises-truth-but-delivers