Data analytics is becoming increasingly integral to business success, with many companies deploying analytics in new and innovative ways. After all, data insights provide organizations with the ability to make better strategic decisions, transform products and services, and create a differentiated customer experience.

But how do you measure how much value data analytics initiatives are really bringing to the table? 

Although it may not be an easy answer, this article provides a framework for assessing the ROI of data analytics initiatives.

Key Focus Areas for Measuring the Value of Data Analytics 

Direct data monetization, quicker time to market, etc., are a few important factors to take into account when evaluating ROI for data science projects, but they are not the only ones. 

Organizations can obtain a comprehensive image of the ROI of data and analytics initiatives by taking into account the following pertinent aspects:

Financial Metrics

The economic impact of data analytics initiatives can be evaluated using financial indicators that reflect the overall value of insight gained and the impact on the bottom line. 

For example, you can measure success by calculating the total revenue generated as a result of a data analytics initiative. You can also determine whether cost savings or additional profit was created through increased revenue generation.

Some key metrics to consider here are Intrinsic Value of Information (IVI), Business Value of Information (BVI), and Performance Value of Information (PVI). These metrics measure the information value in terms of the impact on the business performance and success.

A key focus should also be on cost reduction. Cost reductions can be a result of process simplification, reduced risk, or improved performance. It can also be a result of increased revenue or reduced operating costs.

At the end of the day, the ROI of the data analytics projects should reflect the change in cost structure. In other words, it should show if the initiatives have generated savings on the cost of training, services, technology, etc.

Impact on Decision-Making

To only consider the numerical impact of data analytics initiatives on the bottom line can be misleading. 

In order to fully understand the value of data analytics, it is important to measure the impact that data-driven insights have on an enterprise’s decision-making process.

But how is this “impact” measured and tracked?

—For one, the impact can be evaluated based on the accuracy of decisions and forecasts. 

For example, if a data analytics initiative enables you to make better decisions in real-time about your product pricing, that can translate into improved margins and revenue.

—Impact can also be assessed based on how well the customer needs and preferences are looped into the decision process. After all, the overarching goal of data analytics initiatives is to enable organizations to better align their offerings with user requirements.

—Finally, enterprises can measure the impact based on how quickly and easily insights from internal and external sources are leveraged to make a better decision. 

Is it an easy process to identify insights and access data from all sources? 

Can you easily transform the data into information and then convert the information into intelligence or insight for a particular use case?

Overall, by evaluating how well the insights are translated into strategic decisions that improve customer experiences, optimize processes, and stimulate revenue growth, organizations can determine the overall value of the data analytics initiatives.

Also Read: A CXO’s Guide to Collaboration Between Citizen Data Scientists and Data Science Teams

Usage of Resources 

This indicator assesses how effectively infrastructure, staff, and computational capacity are allocated for data science projects. 

For assessing the usage of resources and how that plays into the success of data analytics initiatives, organizations must:

• Analyze the speed at which data initiatives pay off. They can take into account how long it takes to design, deploy, and begin experiencing advantages. 

• Evaluate the efficiency with which resources are allocated among the many stages of a data project, including data collection, processing, analysis, and implementation. 

• Examine the data projects’ overall adaptability and scalability. It’s essential to check if the resources involved are flexible enough to accommodate changing project requirements. 

Customer Experience 

Data-driven improvements that result in positive consumer experiences can promote brand loyalty and business expansion.

So, customer experience metrics that assess the influence of data analytics initiatives on customer engagement and satisfaction are immensely useful. Lower churn rates or higher client lifetime value are some examples of metrics that can be worthwhile considering in this regard. 

For a granular comprehension of the value created, businesses can gauge how data-driven innovations affect customers’ opinions of the brand, products, and services by monitoring measures like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT).

Apart from all these focus areas, businesses can also concentrate on:

• Assessing the time to market of product or service launch and improvements

• Evaluating the ROI of specific use cases and user groups

• Analyzing the value of data-driven initiatives from a regulatory standpoint

• Tracking changes in customer behavior patterns due to data-driven improvements

• Monitoring changes in customer responses to data-driven campaigns such as personalized email campaigns or targeted ads

In a Nutshell

The ultimate objective of assessing the ROI of data science projects is to bring about a significant and measurable impact on the organization’s performance. 

By evaluating the effect on business operations and calculating the cost savings and revenue generated by data analytics initiatives, businesses can gauge whether their investments increase profitability and efficiency.

They can then proceed towards becoming data smart. But what if they can realize success with analytics initiatives right off the bat? That’s where leveraging a unified data platform like Rubiscape becomes critical. 

Not only can it democratize data access, but it also drives data-backed innovation, increases data literacy across the board, and weaves agility into data science executions. Get in touch with us to learn more.