Analytics Pitfalls
Lessons From Pitfall Harry
Pitfall was a sensation in 1982. Activision’s blockbuster captured the hearts of the Indiana Jones fans on the Atari 2600 with a simple side-scroller. It was the top grossing games of its time and our inspiration for this article.
Pitfall Harry isn’t exactly an analyst. He is a 256 bit explorer and a character adept at taking on challenges. Let’s scroll through the ones he routinely faces and see if we can’t come away with some analytic lessons. You might be surprised how easy it is to align analytic pitfalls with this simple arcade game.
It Begins With The Game Clock
While probably not the first thing you thought of, the fact is that Harry need not move an inch to fall victim to his first pitfall. Each level began with a game clock. He had just twenty minutes to overcome each pitfall, collect the treasure, and complete the round.
Time was never on the side of Pitfall Harry, something most analysts can appreciate. But it also was rarely the first consideration. Time is often that challenge which catches you unaware deep in the process.
The Log
In Pitfall, it was a simple annoyance. It didn’t kill you, but it slowed you down and drained the clock. The map was dotted with them as is the field of analytics. Just like in Pitfall, many of these obstacles are moving. While this analogy can be used broadly, think of issues with graph resolution, data hygiene, definition issues and the like. A bit of awareness and a nimble click or two is often enough to overcome them, but if they trip you up at the wrong time it can really matter.
The Lake
Harry wasn’t dealing with data lakes, but he probably could have. The swing over the lake was simple but symbolic. Analytics is full of tasks that you will need a tool, some leverage, and a little momentum to swing by. Whether that is creating client consensus or organizing dis-aggregated data — you may also need some patience. If you watch, Harry moves backward first! Also watch the landing, logs are everywhere.
The Scorpion
An interesting thing about Pitfall, there was no way to kill the scorpion. The scorpion lived in the darker levels of the game. You typically only found it in your way when you were avoiding a messier set of circumstance. It was always a moving target, one prone to turning when you didn’t expect it. And, of course, it was lethal.
In analytics, this is competition and adversarial relationships at their core. These things have been the death (or dismissal) of many an analyst. But in the right perspective, they are an opportunity to advance quickly and to avoid messier situations.
The Crocodiles
One jump at a time, four jumps in a row, be sure to time it right. The crocodiles were a lesson in iteration and probably the most iconic part of the game.
Analysts need to pay attention to the steps in most analytic processes. The urge to blast through, to save time, and to keep moving can result in some very short lives. Mistakes here are deadly or at least require a restart. Unlike Harry, when you hit reset — the clock doesn’t typically restart.
The Quicksand
It appeared and disappeared, sometimes it seemed at random. It wasn’t. Anymore than one of most analyst’s major pitfalls — cognitive bias.
Cognitive bias snags analysts when they least expect it. Typically when they are ignore the right tools in a quest for quicker turn around. Also much like the game, there is often an adversary waiting on the other side. Only unlike the scorpion, the cobra is only offering a path to death if you fail to avoid it.
At this point it is worth noting, that Harry almost always faced multiple pitfalls at the same time. Vines, quicksands, snakes, scorpions, logs, and crocodiles — it was a perilous landscape! Don’t believe analytics is any safer. It too is a dangerous race.
In the end, it is all a game of exploration and survival. It is a race and a competition. The winner is the one that makes it to the end and finds the treasure along the way. It was the perfect analogy for analytics. Thanks for reading!
For more analytics/game analogies consider:
