To ask you to help me interpret this presentation Q?

[Wiennetta]

I’m tying myself up trying to work it out:

What do you think are the key opportunities for analysis in contributing to (Organisation’s) (Specific topic) Action Plan?

The role is as an analyst.

Maybe as an analytical person I’m overthinking it all (and I’m v tired) but I’m reading it two ways.

I first thought it was:

1. What do you think are the main areas in the action plan that will benefit from further analytic input? So, the answer might be things like area X needs further research and thinking.

This makes sense because it’s basically asking - as an analyst in the team - what do you think you’d be working on?

But on re-reading it, the ‘in contributing to’ made me think:

1. What do you think the main opportunities are for the analyst team in working on the action plan? As in, opportunities = benefits - things the analyst team will gain out of their work on the action plan.

So please help!

YANBU 1 is correct

YABU 2 is correct

Something else is correct? Help!

I would interpret it as the first option. It makes much more sense in the context of applying for a role.

I'd read it as How does analysis you would provide help drive the plan to make the company more profitable/efficient/achieve its goals. I agree a bit with 1) that you could then go into what this analysis might cover

You could always add on some information about benefits to the team, per the second interpretation, to 'cover yourself'.

You might even be able to provide some data on how quantitative data analysis can drive better decision making and therefore also drive better planning and outcomes

What ClariceQuiff said. I can just about see interpretation 2, but it would be a v weird question to ask in the circumstances.

I have to say I might think twice about working somewhere that spouts such gobbledegook!

Disclaimer. Not an analyst. I'm reading it as both. So what are the areas that needs most input and why. Also how would you do this ( spreadsheets or whatever tools/ methodologies an analyst would use.
Sleep on it OP!

Why not cover both to show how open minded you are and how broad your input would be?

It's difficult to say without seeing the Action Plan. However, I think they are asking you to present on which areas of the Action Plan would benefit from further analysis - so more like the first point you made.

So if part of their Action Plan is "go green" I would look at the action plan and see which categories would benefit from analysis most.

E.g. Action to: "Extend our market to another demographic" Item could be: define demographic and personas to be targeted. Further analysis could be analyse how many people in the target demographic, analyse where they are located, are they concentrated in one area or spread, what's the age groups, what other items might they be interested in, what's the costs of logistics of getting these products to the new demographic etc.

I’d take it as which areas can you analyse to move project forward and how will it do so?

Thanks so much all! I really appreciate it It sounds like my first read was probably on the right track, but you know the more you read something the less clear it gets?!

I am an analyst and I'd say the first one!

@SummerSazz

You might even be able to provide some data on how quantitative data analysis can drive better decision making and therefore also drive better planning and outcomes

This, basically will be the kind of thing they are looking for.

I'd take it as where providing analysis/data can be used to inform the actions - so Intent (the data shows that x problem is occurring, we have therefore decided that we need to address it), Implementation (the data indicates that this is happening because of y, so this is what we will do) and Impact (the data indicates that the effect of the actions has been z)

In a nutshell, good data/analysis means knowing what the original state was, using that to decide what to do and then using it to assess effect/success of that approach.

But I'm just a random twat, so there might be something far more intellectual-sounding from somebody who knows what they're talking about.

@NeverDropYourMooncup

I'd take it as where providing analysis/data can be used to inform the actions - so Intent (the data shows that x problem is occurring, we have therefore decided that we need to address it), Implementation (the data indicates that this is happening because of y, so this is what we will do) and Impact (the data indicates that the effect of the actions has been z)

In a nutshell, good data/analysis means knowing what the original state was, using that to decide what to do and then using it to assess effect/success of that approach.

But I'm just a random twat, so there might be something far more intellectual-sounding from somebody who knows what they're talking about.

There are different kinds of analysis but I'm a business analyst and you are basically spot on for what I do!

That makes me feel better - thank you!

Thank you all so much! This is great. I will re-read it all properly when I’ve had sleep and coffee!