Results are the consequence of actions. If we have taken measures, there will be results.
Generally, you will find three types of results after following the GIDAR Method:
- Positive: Changes result in an improve against the goal baseline. In this case, we have improved against the Goal.
- Negative: The opposite of positive results. We do change, but now we underperform against the Goal. Although you did not plan for negative consequences in principle, it contains useful information, like what doesn’t work to achieve the Goal.
- Irrelevant or Inconclusive: Now, after implementing your changes, there was none or minimal variation. This is the most complicated case to handle because you don’t really know if the actions affected the Goal good or bad.
- There are, however, a few questions that can make you interpret the results:
- Can you segment further the results?: Could it be that it actually had an impact on a certain cohort of users, or for a specific product?
- Have you looked at the right data? This is more a due diligence a crosscheck.
- Did you do enough changes?: In my view this is the most common case for irrelevant results. If the actions are producing minimal changes it is logic that there will be also minimal results. In this case, the best is to go back to the actions step and think about bolder changes.
Examples of the Three type of GIDAR Results
Positive Results
- After running a marketing campaign we noticed an increment of 7% vs Goal.
- The lead generation form produced 3244 contact vs 2487 that was the Goal.
Negative Results
- The campaign ROI was 2% (The difference between the invested and the revenues).
- Changes in HR policies have resulted in an employee churn higher than the Goal.
- Changes in Customer Care led to a decrease in NPS of -3.
Irrelevant/Inconclusive Results
- After changing the price of product A, there is no visible change in the sales of the product.
- Changing process A didnt result in better or worse time consumed.
Results are your ultimate project goal, and it is the conclusion of the GIDAR Analytics Canvas.
Be ready for any kind of results and in many ocassions to iterate
If your changes are positive, you are in front of a success story. Document it, put it in the intranet or in the wall and let everyone know that your actions brought results to the company.
If they are negative, you have learnt something sometimes even more valuable, what does NOT work.
If no change dedicate time to think about the actions. Where they bold enough to produce a noticeble result. If so you might need to iterate with a new goal, if not talk to the sponsors and propose more noticeable changes.
Regardless the results, CONGRATULATIONS, you have already won you achieved what many couldn’t. Use Information and Data to produce business results.
