Build data flows into a quiet library, not a raging whirlwind
Build data flows into a quiet library, not a raging whirlwind
The value of BizOps connecting the data dots across the company
In the early stages of a company, BizOps - in all of its data glory (can you find the common thread amongst RevOps, MarOps, Finance, ProductOps, BI?) - serves two purposes: setting up the data flows (less eng work), and analysing the data. In statistics there is the saying “Sh*t in, sh*t out”, and this is true of our work in BizOps.
This is why in our first year of existence as a BizOps team, we spent a lot of time and effort on setting up the flows for our Revenue and Finance Operations.
Build for clarity
We visualised the buying, procurement, and payment journey from the customer perspective. Then we added the steps that internal team members take to guide the customer through that process. And each of the steps were then reflected in our process flow maps. We discussed, agreed, updated, and aligned on:
the architecture of the data amongst systems
the sources of truth for data
the data formats and consistency
Having sorted these three things, we could afford to automate the flows. Take it from me, never automate something that doesn’t have the above three defined. You’d be in for a whirlwind! 🌪️Alas, you will encounter a whirlwind. At a seed/Series A stage silos of data will exist. And as a BizOps leader you will walk into another team’s tool thinking it is a tidy children’s room, just to figure out it is an angry teenager’s attic. A 30min job will turn into 5h, which will turn into 10h. It is time well spent if you tackle the whirlwind.
What should you do in a raging whirlwind
test: pull reports and data and sense check. Do the reports obtain what you’d expect? Are you getting a total # of views of a feature to be more than the unique ones?
identify the gaps: what is wrong? what is missing?
fix: where you can fetch historical data, it’s an easy fix. But if this is not available, you have some decisions to make.
Analysing a whirlwind
If you got yourself your clean library, you are good to go. But if you are in a whirlwind, the fix where data needs to be extrapolated is crucial. What assumptions about ratios, growth rates, segmentation, and future projections would you use for analysis?
BizOps leaders align other leaders around these assumptions. Having an assumption is better than not having one. But everyone should know what that is. Don’t let the whirlwind sweep you.
As always, to continue the conversation, connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vessclewley/