callyway's score

Word of the day: diaspora

As I was reading Steve Smith's mobile article today, I came across the word: diaspora.  What a great word!

Of course, I had to go to Wikipedia to look it up even though I thought I knew what it meant -- I wasn't sure given the context in the article.   

Wiki is an excellent tool!                                                    Where were wikis when I was in school?                                                Oh, right, the dictionary and library were my wiki.                                          Back to the word though ...

The meaning of the word diaspora coupled with the use of the word in the article made me think about how many of the Web roles (Web analyst, Web marketer, Web manager) are migrating into the off-line agencies or into the off-line marketing departments ... which then made me think of "resistance is futile" -- assimilation is inevitable.  But, what does that have to do with Web Analytics?

Web analytics really is only a portion of the business intelligence that is needed for business decisions -- so it makes sense for the migration into either the marketing group or the strategy group -- rather than a stand-alone Web group.  Seeing the Web data within the total business context is important.  Understanding the relationship between channels is obviously important; reading the details of when and who is even more important (and complex).  Those will help the business reach the point of understanding why.  And that ---- the elusive why is the key.

What is an analyst?

This is one of those questions that I've thought about for a very long ...
Way back in the day when I worked at one of the Nabisco bakeries (the Atlanta bakery to be exact) ...

And more recently, while talking with a friend (her Loose Tea blog is an excellent blend of daily / local / family / life and an occasional analytic topic), we began to consider the topic.  It's an interesting idea since there are quite a few ideas around it ... from the ridiculous to the absurd to the nearly on-target.

So let's dig in and you can see what I see ....

Wikipedia is my favorite initial place to check for just about anything these days ... thanks to that marvelous community-correcting feature (wow, the checks-and-balances are amazing).  Wiki says:

"Analyst generally is a term for an individual or tool of whom or which the primary function is a deep examination of a specific, limited area and may mean:"

Wiki then goes into the various types of analysts such as a business analyst, color analyst, systems analyst and a web metrics analyst (as well as a number of others).

I happen to particularly love the wiki-dictionary's definition:

1. someone who analyzes
2. (mathematics) a mathematician who studies real analysis
3. (computing) a systems analyst
4. (psychiatry) a practitioner of psychoanalysis
5. a chemical analyst; a financial analyst; a business analyst

So -- an analyst is a person that analyzes ...
Then what is analysis?
    Read back up to the Wikipedia definition: "deep examination of a specific, limited area"

My initial thought: what is deep?
Does analysis require that the analyst understand the depth required of the examination?
Maybe that should be "does a quality analysis require that the analyst understand the depth ...?"

Ahh ... yes.  There it is. Quality and analysis all in one question.

But wait: I have stepped away from the original question: what is an analyst?  I see an analyst as one who is curious, one who investigates, one who questions, one who may or may not work with numbers but certainly always works with data, one who "gets" the gathering of and manipulation of the data and lastly one who seeks to look as far as is needed, but no further.

Why do I add that last?  Because I have experienced the never-ending analysis -- and really, one can just search on the Internet for a bit to experience that -- a "real analyst" gets that aspect ... that there is a point that is enough. 

I'll consider that word (enough) on another day.

Organizing my words and more

Actually, I have been organizing my bookmarks for a while now ... and realized I could take a break and write about the process rather than continue to deal with it...

Not sure who uses what most -- for keeping track of sites ... I have been using one too many methods plus more than a couple of computers so I decided: it's high-time to organize this great information!

The process:
1) Eliminate duplicates in my Firefox bookmarks
2) Quickly turn off my automated update for Foxmarks so that I don't lose some of those client-site bookmarks (obviously not uploading those to my delicious bookmarks)
3) Import the Firefox to delicious
4) Keep the "imported" tag in the imported delicious bookmarks
5) In delicious: Edit the tags and then save with share it
6) Repeat step 5 for the rest of my life (or I fall asleep, whichever comes first).

Organizing bookmarks is relatively easy -- I have to make myself get it started.  That's how I am with quite a few organizing tasks -- I want the organization without the effort, I guess.

Organizing words (the tags) is much more difficult -- but quite a bit more fun.  I enjoy having the auto-fill provide previously used words ... efficient.  It's that first letter that is sometimes difficult to find.

Organizing a web analytics implementation: should be easy by now but can sometimes prove difficult.  Why?
Working with a variety of individuals, clarifying goals, turning needs into requirements, considering long-term objectives, finalizing scope, documentation through-out, defining the details ... all of these are important tasks: but the starting point - working with a variety of individuals: that is often the most challenging!  Understanding how to organize information so that all involved will "get it" without being overwhelmed... that's the key ingredient.  More on a web analytics implementation later... if, though, you really need it now -- try reading Juice Analytics resource page: so much info!

Another word ...

Going to stay on words for a while ... or maybe I'll try to at least complete a word post weekly.
Today's word: clean-up.

The clean-up yesterday happened in Portland (Oregon) --- WebTrends has shifted a few folks out of the house.  What does that mean for those remaining?  New opportunities: they can now get on with it.  Maybe the focus will shift from marketing-speak to action-speak now.  I, for one, am looking forward to the next year to see what WT pulls together.

More clean-up options this past week: Omniture and Visual Sciences: what an integration that will be!  Since deep integrated analysis is the next big thing (coupled with MVT) --- the purchase makes sense.  I wonder if the company can really integrate all of those tools (Offermatica purchase was announced in September) though?  What will the results be: hopefully, it will be more than a tab within the interface and a white paper added to the knowledge base.  Can't wait to see!

And another clean-up idea: if you have anyone questioning your Web Analytics data or report -- it's time to step back and clean-up.  How?  Start with an audit of the implementation / finish with a report that details the analysis.  You may find that there is nothing actually wrong with the implementation ... you may find that the Web data is fine but that the comparison with external data or back-end data is faulty.  If you're not sure how to begin an audit: I'll be writing a post about the process soon (tomorrow?).

And the word is ...

I recently remembered that I used to choose a word for the day - and then monitor the day's communications for that word.  I might choose, for example, a biz cliche word from back when to see if it was still being used or maybe choose one that I heard on the radio during my drive in to work.

Today's word: fundamental.

However, I decided NOT to monitor the use of fundamental -- but rather investigate why it popped into my head and why it's an important idea.

First, it is first - it is basic - and it's an album by Bonnie Rait!
Next, because it is basic - it is often overlooked.  Whether it's completing a Web Analytics plan or defining a process or even updating a "look" (explained further below) - the fundamentals of each are what are the basis for the next layer or level. 

If the foundation is cracked - so too will be the <enter appropriate description>.

Fundamental in relation to:

a Web Analytics plan: The starting point, very often, is understanding what data is being generated and how that compares to any other data that may be pertinent for the business.  Thus, the fundamental step to building a Web Analytics plan may be: perform an audit.  According to Avinash in his "Convert Data Skeptics: Document, Educate & Pick Your Poison" post (Oct 8, 2007), step 1 for a data discrepancy issue is: "Understand what each tool is actually measuring and how it is doing it".  Now that's the fundamental step of an audit!

defining a process: The fundamental action needed for process definition: thinking.  The secondary action: mapping (try this great <free> tool).  Then think again.

updating a look: Rather than spending big bucks on a manicure to get those long freaky fingernails glued on - spend some time at the Y or go running in your local park or hiking in your favorite woods.  So the idea of fundamental when it comes to a lifestyle update: focus on the basics such as healthy eating / healthy exercise rather than layering in some crazy fashion quirk.