Data-Led, Not Data-Paralyzed: A CEO’s Guide To Smarter Experimentation
Apr 04, 2025 - forbes.com
The article emphasizes the importance of being data-led rather than data-paralyzed in business decision-making. It highlights that while data is a powerful tool, waiting for perfect data before taking action can hinder progress. Instead, businesses should embrace experimentation, using data to guide decisions and learn from both successes and failures. The article outlines practical steps for implementing a data-led approach, including running experiments to identify data gaps, crafting hypotheses with "if-then" statements, using templates to streamline reporting, building a strong knowledge base through iterative learning, and asking "so what" to ensure data contributes to meaningful goals.
The author, Eric Johnson, CEO of SurveyMonkey, advocates for a scientific approach to business, where experimentation and learning from data are prioritized. He suggests that companies should not fear negative or inconclusive results, as these are opportunities for learning and improvement. By fostering a culture of curiosity and exploration, businesses can leverage data to drive innovation and success, even in the absence of perfect information.
Key takeaways:
Data-led decision-making involves running experiments to identify data gaps and taking action despite imperfect data.
Using "if-then" statements in hypotheses helps structure experiments and focus on learning from outcomes.
Simple templates for experiment tracking can prevent reporting fatigue and ensure findings are documented and reusable.
Building a strong knowledge base through iteration and learning is crucial for shared learnings and scaled results.
