Summary: Building the AI-Powered Organization
A relatively new class of expert, (Analytics Connectors), can play a role in identifying roadblocks (to AI implementation). These people bridge the data engineers and scientists from the technical realm with the people from the business realm—marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, risk personnel, and so on. (Analytics Connectors) help ensure that the AI applications developed address business needs and that adoption goes smoothly.
– Harvard Business Review, July/August 2019
Below is a summary of the Harvard Business Review article “Building the AI-Powered Organization”. This posting contains highlights from that article and insights into the importance Analytics Connectors in enabling AI-powered organizations:
- McKinsey estimates that AI will add $13 trillion to the global economy in the next decade. Yet companies are struggling to scale up their AI efforts. Most have run only ad hoc projects or applied AI in just a single business process.
- Many companies’ efforts to scale up artificial intelligence fall short. That’s because only 8% of firms are engaging in core practices that support widespread adoption. Cutting-edge technology and talent are not enough. Companies must break down organizational and cultural barriers that stand in AI’s way.
- AI has the biggest impact when it’s developed by cross-functional teams with a mix of skills and perspectives. Having business and operational people work side by side with analytics experts will ensure that initiatives address broad organizational priorities, not just isolated business issues. Diverse teams can also think through the operational changes new applications may require.
- A relatively new class of expert,(Analytics Connectors), can play a role in identifying roadblocks. These people bridge the data engineers and scientists from the technical realm with the people from the business realm—marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, risk personnel, and so on. Translators help ensure that the AI applications developed address business needs and that adoption goes smoothly.
- In one of (McKinsey’s) surveys nearly 90% of the companies that had engaged in successful scaling practices had spent more than half of their analytics budgets on activities that drove adoption, such as workflow redesign, communication, and training. Only 23% of the remaining companies had committed similar resources.
- Analytics Translators (Connectors) often come from the business staff and need fundamental technical training—for instance, in how to apply analytical approaches to business problems and develop AI use cases. Their instruction may include online tutorials, hands-on experience shadowing veteran translators, and a final “exam” in which they must successfully implement an AI initiative.
- A way to derail an organizational AI program: Lacking Analytics Translators (Connectors) or experts who can bridge the business and analytics realms by identifying high-value use cases, communicating business needs to tech experts, and generating buy-in with business users.
- The actions that promote scale in AI create a virtuous circle. The move from functional to interdisciplinary teams initially brings together the diverse skills and perspectives and the user input needed to build effective tools.
How Can Our Company Help?
Our company, Analytics Connector, LLC, provides training and coaching services to enable Analytics Connectors:
- For self-service learners, our Analytics Connector Academy provides a self-service training approach with content to assist in your development as an Analytic Connector within your organization.
- For a more custom approach, our Analytics Connector Coaches can provide a more individualized approach to develop the skills needed for Analytics Connectors. Coaches help to personalize and customize coaching and training for one-on-one, group-based, and corporate training programs for skills development.
Who Can Benefit from Our Training and Coaching?
All of our coaching and training is designed to improve your ability to visualize, interpret, translate, communicate and implement analytical information. Analytics Connector Coaches and the Analytics Connector Academy provide coaching and training to Analytics Connectors as well as Analytics Professionals, Line Managers and Business Executives.
