For years, managers have used business analytics to help them make decisions. While few companies are what management innovation and strategy expert Thomas H. Davenport refers to as "analytic competitors," more and more are moving in that direction. Which best practices are used by the most experienced project managers working on business analytics projects, and how would they advise their less experienced peers? The authors discovered five key characteristics: having a delivery orientation and a bias toward execution; seeing value in use and value of learning; working to gain commitment; relying on intelligent experimentation; and promoting smart use of information technology.
Despite the fact that many of the business analytics project managers interviewed by the authors report to the IT department, they identify with the business side of their organizations. Best-in-class CIOs understand that IT and business cannot continue to be at odds with one another. IT should look for ways to deliver faster implementation cycles while maintaining just the right amount of process and architectural hygiene to ensure quality and professional support.