The Analytics of Measurement and Evaluation

By taking inspiration from the way corporations use business analytics to optimize their Big Data, our Program Measurement and Evaluation processes can be greatly enhanced.

To understand the connection, let’s start with the mission of the Measurement & Evaluation program.

“The ability to effectively evaluate projects, programs and processes is becoming increasingly essential to organizational success today. American University’s online Master of Science (MS) in Measurement & Evaluation provides you with the knowledge to lead these evaluation efforts and the technical skills needed for analytically demanding roles in upper management.” ¹

A good analytics solution constructs a universal framework for collecting, analyzing and utilizing data to determine project effectiveness and efficiency.

Likewise, an efficient measurement and evaluation of projects, programs and policies using analytics should ensure success. An analytics centered approach will likely work with corporate, non-profit and governmental organizations across various sectors and industries.

We can look specifically to two key business analytics concepts I have used in my twenty plus years of analysis work; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Data Visualization. The key to my success was my ability to answer important business questions using analytics.

Analytics is generally defined as the discovery of patterns in data that provides insight and identifies opportunities. As Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP said about analytics, “The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight.” ²

Organizations that invest in analytics generally make much better business decisions then one’s that don’t. In fact, IBM found that organizations who use analytics are up to 12x more efficient and 33% more profitable. ³

In the corporate world, business analytics is widely use to track, analyze and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

KPIs are rolled up to senior leadership to drive business strategy, identify and mitigate risk and to optimize operational productivity.

This approach is very similar to the way projects in the Measurement and Evaluation are tracked, analyzed and reported.

So we need to ask ourselves, what are the KPIs for the project, program or process we are measuring? What points of data need to be captured, analyzed and reported to determine success?

A successful analyst is able to remove the noise when analyzing data and isolate what matters most to his or her organization. That is what is at the heart of measurement, knowing what data is important and what is not.

Once we have the right data, we can measure what the data tells us to determine success, causality, impact… whatever the outcome may be.

A quote often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker perfectly sums up why big corporations rely so heavily on analytics when he said “What gets measured, gets managed.”

Similarly, policy decisions can be made based on what is measured. Project funding can be impacted by what is measured. Process optimization can be directed by what is measured.

Once we are able to measure what is truly important to policy-makers, managers and decision-makers, we need to make sure we present the data in a compelling way.

This is where data visualization comes in.

I often make the analogy that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a good pie chart is worth a thousand rows of data.

We all know that most people learn more by seeing something then by reading or hearing it. Data visualization takes that a step further.

Data visualization is not only important to presenting our insights but also for exploring the data for insights. Most people find it easier to process information when it is in the form of a picture then a collection of data.

Chip & Dan Heath, Authors of Made to Stick, found that, “Data are just summaries of thousands of stories – tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful.”

The ability to take all of the data gathered in the measurement phase and use it in the evaluation phase will make a significant difference in the success of the project, program or process you are working on.

According to the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, “Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs, particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency”. ⁵

Data Visualization can be used to paint a picture of a program, project or policy that influences outcomes based on the KPIs. And by appealing to the basic human fascination with stories, a persuasive graph, chart or infographic can make all the difference in the world.

By adopting the business analytics concepts of KPIs and Data Visualization, and applying them to the world of programs, policies and projects, you can find the same level of success I found in the corporate world.

American University, “Certificate in Measurement & Evaluation” http://programs.online.american.edu/online-graduate-certificates/project-monitorin Accessed October 20, 2016
Carly Fiorina Speech from December 6, 2004 http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/speeches/fiorina/04openworld.html . Accessed October 20, 2016
Simon Thomas, Senior Analytics Consultant for IBM https://youtu.be/Zi8jTbXnamY . Viewed October 20, 2016
Chip & Dan Heath, Authors of Made to Stick, http://heathbrothers.com. Accessed October 20, 2016
OPRE, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/the-program-managers-guide-to-evaluation-second-edition. Accessed October 20, 2016

Analytics Education – Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

DMAIPH Quick Data Survey

A few months back I sent a quick survey to 3,000 of my LinkedIn connections who are either analysts or work closely with data and analysis.

Here is the question I asked.

Greetings! I’m hoping you can help me gather some data for a book I’m working on. If you had to breakdown the work you do into 3 buckets; finding data, analyzing data and reporting data, what would the % of each be? A quick reply with your breakdown would be hugely helpful in my research. Thanks! Dan Meyer, Analytics Champion, www.dmaiph.com

I got back over 400 replies.

Here is how they broke down.

%	Finding	Analyzing	Reporting
10	12%	6%	33%
20	14%	10%	39%
30	20%	31%	24%
40	6%	14%	2%
50	31%	16%	2%
60	14%	18%	0
70	0%	0%	0
80	0%	2%	0
90	0%	0	0
100	0%	0	0

The higher the %, the more each analyst spent time doing that particular phase of analytics.

Here are some of my takeaways from this simple (and very nonscientific survey)

I was surprised to see 45% spend half their time or more on finding data. To me this is one of the telling signs that Big Data has led to a shortage of top analytics talent.

Only 1 out of 4 analysts are spending 20% of less of their time finding data. These are generally senior analysts, well established in their company.

Only half of my analyst connections are spending 40% of more of their time on conducting analysis. With significant time spent on finding and/or reporting data you can imagine a lot of important discoveries are being missed and opportunities lost.

Only 1 out of 3 analysts are getting spend my recommended 50% or more of their time actually doing analysis work.

Based on my survey, reporting gets shortchanged a lot. All in, 96% of respondents spend 30% of their time of less on reporting.

My recommendation is that you spend about 30-40% of your time on the reporting aspect, and sadly only 4% of my analytics connections are able to do that.

In an ideal world, I would expect an analyst to spend no more the 30% of their time on finding data, and at least 30% on reporting their findings, leaving more or less 40% to do the actual analysis.

This breakdown is based on my own experience as an analyst as well as seeing how analyst working for data-driven companies work.

Only about 30% of my 400+ analytics focused LinkedIn connections come close to meeting my recommended breakdowns.

Which means I have a lot of work to do.

Analytics Survey – DMAIPH conducts quarterly analytics surveys to collect data on current trends in analytics. We specialize in surveys that assess analytics culture and measuring how aligned an organization is to using data and analytics in its decision-making. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to find out more about how DMAIPH can conduct surveys to help you assess the analytics culture in your business.

Outsourcing Tips for Small Businesses

Small Business Analytics is not a very well established discipline.

You generally see analytics across all kinds of businesses in just about every industry, but for the most part these businesses are large in size.

The concept of analytics is something that most small businesses have not embraced because of two perceptions that hinder the adoption of best practices; a good analytics solution is too time consuming and too expensive.

These perceptions are often false. Just about any small business can benefit from a number of analytics techniques and technologies that do not require significant amounts of time or financial resources.

When talking with a small business owner about their business, I like to ask a series of questions to gain and understanding of the data they have to work within their business.

Generally, I find that they rarely, if ever they even think about the data they have.

So that is often where we start. Trying to map out their data environment.

Once we have an idea how data is (or could be) collected and stored, then we can turn to talking about analysis.

And after I have a good idea of what (if anything) they are doing with their data we can move to reporting. How is data and analysis presented within the business.

Often I find that pieces of the data collection, storage, analysis and reporting process are happening in subtle ways that don’t, on the surface, look like an analytics solution.

Over the next several blog posts in this series, I will offer up some tips to small business leaders, managers to point out where more analytics can be used with minimal time or cost impact to themselves.

To date I have helped over a dozen small businesses come up with an analytics solution tailored to their unique needs. We have been able to address key challenges that only a deeper understanding of the data in their business can uncover.

Analytics Outsourcing – DMAIPH has successful set up Filipino analytics teams for over a dozen U.S. based businesses. Offering both virtual and office based teams that specialize in problem solving using data, new technology and analytics techniques is our strength. Finding and empowering analytics talent is increasingly challenging, but we have it down to a science. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to learn more about how to set up an analytics-centric team in the Philippines.

Data Analytics to the Rescue

I am a big fan of super hero movies.

One of the reasons why is that in many ways I consider myself to be somewhat of a super hero.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a super hero is “a figure endowed with extraordinary or superhuman powers which are used for fighting evil.”

In my world, evil is analogous to ignorance… or the lack of information needed to make good decisions.

I live to fight this fight.

My extraordinary gifts are being blessed with a keen analytical mind and the ability to empower others to unleash their analytical abilities.

Analytics was not my career choice, but my innate curiosity and passion for answering questions put me in a position to become an analytics expert.

I have all the training and skills an educator needs, but instead of teaching in the classroom I train out in the business world.

On February, 21, 2017 I will be hosting a training on Data Analytics. E-mail us at analytics@dmaiph.com to register or get more info.

This will be so awesome.

I get to do what I do best.

And I get to do it in my adopted homeland.

I get to use my gifts to help Filipino professional unlock the curiosity buried inside them and use that to help empower more data-driven decisions in their organization.

#IamDMAIPH

Analytics Training – DMAIPH offers a wide range of analytics centric training solutions for professionals and students via public, in-house, on-site, and academic settings. We tailor each training event to meet the unique needs of the audience. If you need empowerment and skills enhancement to optimize the use of analytics in your organization, we are here to help. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to set up a free consultation on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

The Analytics of Project Evaluation

When looking at how to use more analytics in program evaluation, let’s start by getting a standard definition.

Per Wikipedia, “Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs,^[1] particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency”.

This is very much like business analytics in how business leaders look at the analysis of business data to answer questions, identify opportunities and mitigate risks.

Program effectiveness can be measured many ways. Like how a cost-benefit analysis or market penetration report could be used by a company to assess the success of a new product or service.

Program efficiency can be measured using elements of Six Sigma or Lean. Looking for waste or defects in the end results of a project can lead to discoveries of poor implementation or biased data collection.

Another primary goal of project evaluation in both the public and private sectors, is providing stakeholders with information on “whether the programs they are funding, implementing, voting for, receiving or objecting to are producing the intended effect.”

To achieve this goal, you need a system to gather, analyze and report data. Like in any analytics project, the key is finding the right data and using it to answer questions, educate your audience and provide meaningful insight.

Answering questions like, “how much the program costs per participant, how the program could be improved, whether the program is worthwhile, whether there are better alternatives, if there are unintended outcomes, and whether the program goals are appropriate and useful.^[2] will indicate the level of success the program achieved.

There are many analytics techniques like data blending to bring in supporting data form outside the program. Predictive models can show where the project would go if it continues to get funding. Data visualization can also be used to help illustrate findings that can be useful in program evaluation.

Just off the top of my head, I can see a lot of opportunity for the use of a business analytics approach to Project Evaluation. There is a lot of common ground in methodology and reporting, but I think bringing in some cutting edge business analytics to the mix would allow even more insightful and actionable project evaluation.

Let’s find out.

^{1, 2}^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_evaluation}

Evaluators can learn from the ways that the corporate sector uses business analytics to understand, interpret, and display Big Data. Key aspects from the corporate sector that are useful for monitoring and evaluation include identifying what data is important, and finding ways to visualize it for consumption. In my upcoming webinar with American University on analytics solutions, I will be talking about how analytics is relevant to measurement and evaluation.

Webinar details:

February 15, 2017

1pm Eastern

Webpage with webinar registration links: http://programs.online.american.edu/msme/webinars

The Secret to Being a Great Analyst

The secret behind just about anything successful is having a plan.

What is your analytics plan?

How will you empower analysts to add value?

What data techniques can you learn to have a greater impact?

How can you get your hands on new technologies to enhance the way you work with data?

You need a plan.

An analytics action plan.

An analytics strategy plan.

An analytic roadmap.

Whatever you call it, you need a plan that combines the right analytics talent, the right analytics techniques and the right analytics technology.

You need to build a map of how your data flows through your business.

You need to identify people in your organization that are curious and comfortable using data to make decisions.

If you are ready to build your analytics plan and need to ensure it will achieve you goals, I will be facilitating a training class on February 21 in Ortigas. Send us an e-mail to analytics@dmaiph.com to register or to get more information.

I will help you come up with an analytics plan to help you start taking advantage of the business data you have in order to increase efficiency and grow profits.

Measurement and Evaluation: Analytics and Data Driven Decision Making

Recently Worked on a paper for a school… interesting topic…Measurement and Evaluation Analytics and Data Driven Decision Making.

I will also be doing a related webinar this coming Feb 15 entitled Analytics & Data-Driven Decision-Making.

Webinar details:

February 15, 2017

1pm Eastern

Webpage with webinar registration links: http://programs.online.american.edu/msme/webinars

The ability to effectively evaluate projects, programs and processes requires a thorough understanding of analytics.

Analytics is generally defined as the discovery of patterns in data that provides insight and identifies opportunities.

Organizations that invest in analytics generally make much better business decisions then one’s that don’t.

In fact, IBM found that organizations who use analytics are up to 10x more efficient and 33% more profitable the ones who don’t.

A good analytics solution constructs a universal framework for collecting, analyzing and using data to determine project effectiveness and efficiency.

As the amount of data available increases daily, the use of analytics is becoming essential to all levels of an organizational today.

This Big Data allows both deeper analysis but also requires more skill in getting to the right data.

By taking inspiration from the way corporations use business analytics to optimize their Big Data, our program measurement and evaluation processes can be greatly enhanced.

Bringing data together from a variety of sources and integrating the data into the decision-making processes, allows the empowerment of decision-makers to make much more intelligent choices.

When analytics driven leaders possess the practical assessment skills needed to evaluate projects bridging various sectors and industries, they are much more effective then ones that don’t.

In today’s information age, the quick and efficient measurement and evaluation of projects using analytics ensures success with corporate, non-profit and governmental organizations across various sectors and industries.

When They Go Low, We Go High

Michelle Obama’s quote from the recent Democratic convention will go down as one of the greatest quotes ever.

And I’ve been thinking about what that quote means for me as an American in the Philippines.

I often talk about why I love the Philippines and how I have so much faith in the Filipino people.

My passion comes from way down deep and is has been unshakeable during my 5+ years of living in the Philippines. Talking about analytics in the Philippines has been the time of my life.

Although there have been bad times. Burned by bad partners, taken advantage of by greedy individuals and flustered by arcane bureaucracy. But they haven’t stopped me.

Because when others go low, I keep going high.

Trying as much as possible to do the right thing. Valuing integrity and accountability over success and profit. These things are the high road.

As a guest in the Philippines, I strive to show appreciation and gratitude whenever possible for the once in a life time opportunity to chase my dream of empowering Filipinos with analytics.

There have been and will be detractors. Roadblocks and hurdles will continue to be a burden. Perhaps even a rift between the governments of my home county and my adopted country may cause more challenges.

But as long as I keep going high when things go low, I will survive.

My faith in the Filipino people has not diminished.

In fact, it has only gotten stronger.

My Analytics Story – My passion is solving problems by bringing together the best talent, cutting edge technology and tried and true methodologies. DMAIPH is all about empowering people towards better Decision-Making through the use Analytics and business Intelligence. This is what I do best. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly for a free consultation about getting more analytics into your career and your business.

Three More Reasons I Love the Philippines

I recently blogged about three reasons I love the Philippines; the geographic location of the Philippines, the Heart of the Filipino and the opportunity to fulfil my destiny of empowering Filipinos with analytics.

The blog post as generated more buzz and had more views then just about anything I have published in the past year.

It is an honor and a blessing to be able to do what I do, to speak, write, blog, and talk about analytics to Filipino students, professionals, and businesses.

Recently as the amount of rhetoric between my country of birth and my country of choice has risen, I have come to appreciate three more things I love about the Philippines.

First, I love the healthy political discourse between those who see the future of the Philippines as a more independent country with those whose lives have been positively impacted by foreigners like me.

Everyone has a right to their opinion and I spend a lot of time reading them and considering them. As an American who has cast his lot, so to speak with the Filipino people, I will always respect even those who I disagree with.

Second, I love the fact that President Duterte’s rhetoric is forcing the American government to reflect on its relationship to the Philippines.

This too is healthy in the long run. The relationship between the two nations is very complicated when you consider the various twists and turns of our shared history. We need to have a continual dialogue about how to evolve together for the better good.

Third, my passion for empowering Filipinos to use data in their decision-making only gets stronger.

In a time of change, it is more important than ever to balance emotion with fact. A balance of meeting the emotional needs of 101 million people with the data that can competently predict the impact of various decisions is super important.

The upward momentum enjoyed by analytics and data science in the Philippines assures me once again, that I am in the right place at the right time.

There are many reason to love the Philippines… I could and someday soon will go and list more.

In the end though, to me, it is all about the simple fact that destiny has placed me here to do something important.

And that simple fact is truly a divine gift that makes me love the Philippines.

Why I’m Sticking with the Philippines

The past few months have seen a lot of negativity from President Duterte and his leadership team in their comments about the state of U.S.-Philippines relations. Add to this the uncertainty around President Trump and his vision that suppresses globalization and threatens outsourcing.

The comments are sometimes a challenge for me to listen to as my connection to the Filipino people runs deep.

I grew up in Vallejo, California which has one of the largest and most vibrant Filipino communities outside of the Philippines.

The majority of my friends from elementary through high school are either Filipino immigrants or the children of Filipino immigrants.

My first crush was a Filipina. My junior prom data was a Filipina. I ended up marrying a Filipina. My brother married a Filipina. My son spent a year going to high school in the Philippines.

I not only love eating Caldereta and Adobo, but I can cook them really well.

I’m a huge fan of Jennylyn Mercardo and English Only Please is one of my all time favorite movies.

I have no problem riding in a Jeepney.

When I was working as an Analyst at Wells Fargo, I was deeply invested in making our remittance product the best in the business. I also volunteered to engage the Filipino community of almost 4 million at numerous events and promotions.

When I finally had the chance to move to the Philippines to set up my analytics business, I did so to fulfil my destiny… to empower Filipinos to use more analytics in their business decision-making.

To date I have hired over 200 Filipinos, have spoken at dozens of schools in the Philippines and have provided analytics training to thousands of Filipinos.

Like just about any American who spends quality time in the Philippines, I love the Philippines.

No matter what happens between my government by birth and my government by choice, I will always feel that deep down inside my place is in the Philippines.

Because the heart of the Filipino is truly special in this world.

And that is why I am sticking with the Philippines.

	DMAIPH on You Don’t Build A Busine…
	Ioliveiraserpa on You Don’t Build A Busine…
	DMAIPH on The Current Analytics Talent L…
	John on The Current Analytics Talent L…
	Dominic on Outsourcing Tip > Size the…