Beyond Quick Wins - Aleks Lazarevic - Making Better Decisions - Episode #35

In this episode of the Making Better Decisions podcast, Ryan Sullivan speaks with Aleks Lazarevic, an experienced analytics professional who is currently a Senior Consulting Partner for Sigmoid and Founder of AI&DA Insights. They discuss the importance of asking the right business questions to effectively leverage data, the challenges organizations face in creating a data-driven culture, and the role of advanced analytics in achieving business goals. Aleks shares insights from his career across diverse industries, offers practical advice on integrating both internal and external data for better decision-making, and emphasizes the evolving role of AI in the analytics landscape. They also touch on personal interests, revealing Aleks' passion for cooking and his belief in the correlation between food and healthcare.

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritize Quick Wins: Identify and prioritize quick wins that can demonstrate the value of data analytics early on. This helps build credibility and trust within the organization.
• Develop a Data-Informed Culture: Work on bridging the gap between technical teams and business users. Encourage a culture where data is integral to decision-making processes at all levels.
• Combine Internal and External Data: Don’t just rely on internal data. Combine it with external data sources such as public datasets, market trends, and third-party vendor data to gain more comprehensive insights.
• Focus on Business Questions: Always start with a clear understanding of the business objectives and the specific questions the business needs to answer. This helps in aligning data initiatives with business goals.
• Focus on Value, Not Just Technology: Concentrate on the business value that data initiatives can bring rather than just the technical aspects. Demonstrate how analytics can directly impact the business positively.

Quote of the Show:

• “ I think the real magic in using data effectively is really to know what kind of business questions you are trying to answer. Data without that kind of context is just noise.” - Aleks Lazarevic

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandar-lazarevic/ 
• Website: https://www.sigmoid.com/ 

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