Many of you know that Lodestar Solutions’ tag line is “Business Analytics is People Process and Tools – in that Order.  We Empower the People.”   If you look at most service providers in the Business Analytics community, you will see most focus on the process and software, aka Tools.  But they are missing the biggest factor in successful BA deployments – the People.  Check out Lodestar's Program To “Socialize The Nerds”.

Many Business Analytics deployments are managed by the IT department, so let’s look at a stereotypical view of IT team members.  Many of us went to college and studied Computer Science or MIS, as it was called in my day.  We were nerds, hiding out at all hours in the computer lab, writing code.  Fast forward 20 years and now the world is a-buzz about Business Analytics and the nerds are being thrown into the forefront of organizations and asked to deliver analytical information to the business users in a format that will improve decision making, to accomplish the organization’s strategic goals.

Does anyone else see the fault line here?  Let’s look at Wikipedia’s definition of a nerd:  A person, typically described as being overly intellectual, obsessive, or socially impaired. They may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, obscure, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical or relating to topics of fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities.  Additionally, many nerds are described as being shy, quirky, and unattractive, and may have difficulty participating in, or even following, sports.  Hmm…and they are leading the efforts to communicate and build rapport with the lines of business.

I believe it’s time for what Kelly Ray of Lodestar Solutions (at IBM’s IOD 2013 conference) coined a “Nerdover” for the business analytics community.

Nerdover – a term applied to educating an IT Nerd on how to interact with the business users.

Nerdovers can range from helping them understand the needs and motives of the business users, teaching them presentation and rapport building techniques, to how to improve their image within the organization.

Lodestar Solutions’ mission is to become the Leading Educator of Business Analytics.   Our educational programs and consulting services include people, process and tools.   An underserved area we are focusing on is the Nerdover.   Our programs, such as the “Psychology of Requirements Gathering”, are designed to improve communication and build camaraderie within teams.  If you or someone you know needs a “Nerdover” in the business analytics community, visit our website and YouTube for information that will empower you.