Charles Meaden

Baking Analytics Into Your Digital Projects

30 Seconds About Me…

• Founded Digital Nation 17 years ago

• Analysing websites for 19 years

• 4th time at Measurecamp, 4th talk

I’m A Frustrated Man…

• After 17 years, surely getting analytics right can’t be that difficult

• But seemingly it is…

• Craig Sullivan estimates that up to 95% of all implementations he has looked are wrongly configured

Meet Helen

Why Is This An Issue?

•Shit in•Shit Out

A Quote from Frank Lloyd Wright

• "Its far cheaper to use an eraser on the drafting table thana sledgehammer on the construction site"

What’s Baking Got to Do with It?

• Baking and web / mobile development require lots of ingredients

• Some are more obvious than others

• Consider this ingredient

• Analytics is just like baking powder

• Unseen but pretty essential

We need to mix some Mary

With Some Heston

Who Is To Blame For This

• Agencies

• Developers

• Our Clients

• HIPPO’s

Full Service Agencies / Design Agencies

• “We have considerable experience in Analytics”

• really means

• “We know a freelancer who’ll do it on the cheap”

Why Are They Not Engaged?

• Don’t want their own homework marked

• It’s not an easy sale

• Clients haven't asked for it, so why should they push it

• Don’t have the skills available in house

Developers

• “I’d be delighted to take look at your specification document”

• Really means

• “I’ll put the code where I think is best”

Why Are They Not Engaged?

• Fed up with being briefed by marketing folk

• Lack of understanding on the tools available

• It’s just another tag to be implemented

• Arrogance

Clients

• “We need to know what’s happening on our website”

• really means

• “Please don’t ask us what’s important to us as we don’t know”

Why Are They Not Engaged?

• Lack of knowledge and understanding

• Perception that it’s not their job

• Scared of challenging their supplier / agency

• Some of them don’t care

Hippos

• “Analytics are the heart beat of our organisation”

• really means

• “How many hits did we have last week”

Why Are They Not Engaged?

• Not reported in a language they understand

• The value of analytics hasn’t been communicated to them

• Lack of confidence due to the previous bad implementations

How do we bake analytics in?

Engage With Everyone In The Process

• “I never design a building before I've seen the site and met the people who will be using it. - Frank Lloyd Wright

• Make sure that analytics is on the agenda as early as possible

• Speak in their language

• Find out what will get them a pay rise

• Be persistent

Always Be Educating

• Work out where there is a lack of knowledge

• Time taken to educate will repeat rewards long term

• Screenshots and screencasts rock– Snagit and Camtasia from Techsmith are worth checking out

Specify To The Nth Degree

• Be very precise about what you what

• Explain why you need it and what the benefits are

• Use examples, dummy data and wireframes to explain your points

Get and Keep Getting Feedback

• Keep on asking whether analytics is providing the right information and insight

• Ask how it could be improved

• That way you keep in on the agenda

Calculate The Cost Of ‘Bad Analytics’

• Find examples of where bad analytics cost them money

• Show the downside and then the upside

• Make sure the value of your analysis is more than your invoice

Don’t Assume

As it makes an ass out of you and me

Thank You

• Twitter @charlesmeaden

• Blog www.alwaysbetesting.co.uk

email charles@digitalnation.co.uk