Analysis Overview

One Size Fits All

Like solutions, one size fits all analysis approach fails to capture the nuisance and actual needs of most organizations. There are nearly as many types of analysis techniques as there is diverse environments, therefore it's important for an analyst to apply the correct technique and tools to match the organization's needs, both stated and implied.

While many analysis techniques and data collection methods focus on the data collected, it's also important to understand and respect the political atmosphere of the organization and apply situational awareness to your methodologies. Some organizations may embrace change, however it's more likely change will be met with skepticism and apprehension. An analyst should also accept the possibility the process and solution you've been asked to develop might be met with hostility and outright aggression. It is within these environments that traditional analysis techniques fail or are met with such trepidation the resulting data is unreliable. Fortunately, even in these environments, there are many tools still available to the analyst for these types of organizations, the key is to evaluate the organization so the best tools can be applied. As mentioned, even when supported by management or the strongest business case, change can still be met with extreme resistance. This desire to maintain the status quo can originate from a number of sources including both internal and external influences. These can include stakeholders, external pressures, and environmental factors. It's seldom the case that a solution is met with open arms from everyone within an organization. It's important to understand that analysis begins with a problem, which tends to mean that many of the people you'll be interacting with during the process have either been a victim of the problem or part of the problem themselves. This involvement can lead to change aversion, but does not remove them from the analysis process.