10/21/24 – Business planning, creativity, and analytics.
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I’ve learned through the years how important daily retrospectives and journaling are to keep up to date on new tools. Some of us remember 1995 – 97’s global conversion to Windows-based computing, and our current tech era stands to be just as significant. Today, we develop personal agents that can more accurately outline our daily learnings – to do lists for us. Record your daily work tasks to track growth and remember the small moments that matter. Daily events make great stories. Each data file tells a story with its own beat and color. Numbers and creativity work together in business planning, but we often miss this link.
I found my old work journals from 30 years back. Reading my messy notes showed how I grew with each new tech tool. This helped me see who I am – someone who loves change and new projects. I enjoy finding new ways to look at business problems. Logic and creativity work together, not against each other.
Good business plans mix tested methods with fresh ideas. When you finish a project well, adding your own creative touch makes it better. Moreover, staying up to date with process improvement technologies has always been essential to staying relevant in any marketplace. If you’re a seasoned researcher or planner who’s completed an end-to-end project for a client, you know the feels when a successfully executed ‘win’ project contained storytelling components with your own creative edge.
As a planning strategist and researcher, I’ve learned the ideal state is not to be solely my analytical self throughout my process, and certainly not my artistic self alone in a field where rigor and objectivity are at the core of my value proposition as a consultative collaborator. Rather, for best results,
Human Legacy in the Age of AI
As technology rapidly evolves and artificial intelligence transforms our execution landscape, the value of human experience becomes increasingly precious. For seasoned professionals entering the final third of their careers, there’s an imperative to bridge the gap between the previous decade’s methods and emerging technologies. Tech tasks and process improvements are not driving client value if no one cares about the process under the hood, but rather the results and value of the deliverable. “Are we analysts being sunset by AI?” No. The human factors providing end-to-end service in the planning or research lifecycle will continue to be at the core of continued success for the seasoned project manager, analyst, and strategic planner. AI’s use may best be focused on
While AI still presents challenges with generative accuracy, it will excel at non-creative tasks. As anyone who’s seen multiple technological transformations through the digital age knows, converting to new modes of digital operations in your day-to-day execution may become easier than ever and reverse any “60% data cleaning and org / 40% analysis” imbalances. Building your own AI agents that you’ve narratively trained to execute tasks highly prone to human error may speed up data prep and validation time to allow more focus on building your summary insights with creative storytelling. #PositiveApproach #ContinuedLearning #AIAgentEffectiveness #ProcessImprovement
Contributing Lessons Learned
How do business, strategic, and market research analysts best provide value with their seasoned experience? By contributing legacy lessons for the next wave of analysts, planners, and project managers. This isn’t one-way learning, reciprocity between learned practitioners and newcomers with high tech skills can be key to team building and bridging both process and generational gaps. Learning has become reciprocal unlike many eras past where tech-level knowledge required continuing education at least twice a decade.
Looking Forward
As we continue navigating the intersection of human insight and technological advancement, our professional journals become more than personal records – they transform into valuable learning tools for future selves and less seasoned colleagues. The key lies in translating these experiences into digestible, efficient learning formats that resonate with both analytical minds and creative spirits.
The evolution of market research and strategic planning demands practitioners who can seamlessly integrate analytical rigor with creative thinking. By appropriately documenting and sharing our journeys both relationally with each other and through the creation of better skilled AI agents: we can create a lasting legacy that helps future professionals navigate this dynamic landscape with both analytical precision and imagination.
How do you balance your analytical rigor with creative elements such as quality storytelling and recommendations?
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Learn more on this topic:
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/ai-analytics/ai-predictions.html
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