But, believe it or not, your users suffer through your creativity in order to get something done. Like selling something that pays your exorbitant salary. It's time to help them.
Step One - Build Something Useful
After reading and studying 53 incredibly insightful posts, I feel like you've got this one. Here's a test:
- Pull up your dashboard and try to gain a useful insight into the business
If you can, you've built something useful.
Step Two - Filter Your Data
This is where you get to earn your title of 'Analyst'. Use your dashboard to get to an insight that will help your sales managers make a decision or change that will help them sell something.
Step Three - Bookmark It
You remember bookmarks, right?
- Give it a time-sensitive, descriptive name "Today's Insight - 8/12"
- Share it
- Include the layout and input values
Step Four - Share It
Webview:
IE Plugin:
When your email opens, make sure to to change the subject line. Study the Drudge Report for techniques to get someone to click a link. This stuff only works if you get them to open your email.
In the body of the email, highlight your insights. Even though the Federal Reserve is evil (it's not even part of the government for heck's sake; read Hidden Order to be both entertained and educated), they nailed it with this intro to their charts:
They told you what to look for before you even looked at their visualizations. That's why they control all of the money.
Takeaways:
- Use a catchy subject line
- Add your Takeaways to help the user know what they're looking at
- Never end your sentence with a preposition
Step Five - Remember
Think big, think positive, never show any sign of weakness. Always go for the throat. Buy low, sell high. Fear? That's the other guy's problem. Nothing you have ever experienced will prepare you for the absolute carnage you are about to witness. Super Bowl, World Series - they don't know what pressure is. In this building, it's either kill or be killed. You make no friends in the pits and you take no prisoners. One minute you're up half a million in soybeans and the next, boom, your kids don't go to college and they've repossessed your Bentley. Are you with me?
I would suggest a different "Step 1" as follows.
ReplyDeleteHave someone else who knows nothing about your client's business open up your dashboard and try to gain a useful insight into the business. If they can, you've built something useful. You just may live to fight again another day.
When you get lost between the moon and New York City, the best thing you can do, is..... well.... never mind. Too late.
ReplyDeleteJared, you're tougher than I am! I was only hoping they knew what they built...
ReplyDeleteAnd Rod, it's never too late.