Superhero Lessons in Analytics… Episode V
Documentation and Trial & Error — Lessons from The Greatest American Hero
For three seasons, from 1981 to 1983, ABC aired a weekly TV series titled The Greatest American Hero. The series did not have exceptionally high ratings. It wasn’t exceptionally well written or even acted. Even the special effects were sub-par.
The series featured a Los Angeles school teacher who was given a super powered suit by aliens. Together with his FBI partner, he sets off to protect the world from criminals and injustice. Unfortunately for our dynamic duo, things don’t go as planned.
Lesson I — Documentation
The Greatest American Hero is probably unique for one distinct plot twist. Just moments after the aliens provide Ralph (the Hero) with his super powered suit, he loses the directions. It is important lesson for any analytic shop — don’t lose the documentation.
For Ralph and the show, losing the documentation results in comic consequences. For analytic teams and Ralph’s partner Maxwell, this has far more frustrating ramifications. Documentation is a necessity, but much like the show — it is often over looked.
Like the aliens instructions, documentation provides you with the means to repeat past successes. It is key to efficiency and prevents a lot of trial and error. Don’t over look its value.
Lesson II — Trial and Error
Without the owners manual, Ralph and Maxwell are reduced to desperate attempts of trial and error. While not ideal, this technique is quite valuable for understanding the unknown. Analyst are often happy to engage in experimentation but often shy away from the more cavalier trial and error opportunities.
While the Greatest American Hero essentially had no choice, the successes he generated are proof that this technique is useful in a pinch. Each week Ralph was able to access a new power provided by the suit. Although a bit formulaic, these trials provided the necessary outcomes to solve cases and prevent crimes.
Analyst should never fear trial and error. The process can be enlightening and uncover new opportunities. New techniques and processes should be readily tested. It may seem a little less clinical than the process of developing and testing scientific hypotheses. It is no less rewarding.
Both documentation and trial & error can be very helpful for your analytics team. In some case, solid documentation can prevent the need for too much trial and error. But no matter how difficult, each can be very rewarding and lead to better insights and higher efficiency. Just be sure not to lose the documentation once you’ve created it.
Read Episode VI: Lessons from Chuck
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