Your client's gut feeling clashes with project data. How do you navigate this conflicting insight?

Understanding and acknowledging the client perspective is very vital step. Usually client’s experience brings a different perspective than what project data suggest. After you acknowledge it, you are in a state to discuss it in a meaningful way to understand the perspective and re evaluate the collected evidence and present it in a more understandable way addressing client’s concerns and expectations.

It is key and essential to establish a cadence of partnership between the client and the consultancy project team! Capturing the client or specifically the partner notes, concerns, and gut feelings is normal, yet the professional frame has to still overwhelm ! Herein, comments are to be added, considered amongst the inputs, analyzed, and validated, whilst keeping the partner aligned and if needed reframing the project hypothesis However, the focused analysis results based on a trust model are to prevail whether denied or validated and the project progress plan is to continue ! Not only steering boards are to be updated but also on the micro-level in the daily or the weekly project huddles

I believe, acknowledging your client's gut feeling and validating their concerns should be the starting point, but emphasising the importance of data-driven decisions should also be discussed. Present the data clearly, highlighting key insights and any potential risks, opportunities or alternatives. Suggest a pilot test or scenario analysis to blend intuition with data, allowing for informed decision-making that respects both perspectives.

Acknowledge their concerns and start by interviewing them about their experience with similar projects and the circumstances surrounding this project. Understanding the basis for their gut reaction may be based on perception as much as evidence. Part of the challenge with an open-ended question (like this one) is clarifying the gap in expectations (budget, resources, timing) and value delivered. Many times projects are setup for failure because of unrealistic expectations of perceived value (numerators justifying the spend are difficult to measure). Proactive communication about change, challenges, and risks should eliminate surprises. Checkpoints at the end of each phase should surface concerns and expectation gaps.

Para lidar com um conflito entre a intuição do cliente e os dados do projeto, é essencial reconhecer e validar as preocupações do cliente, garantindo que ele se sinta ouvido. Em seguida, apresente os dados de forma clara, explicando como foram obtidos e o que indicam. Trabalhe junto com o cliente para comparar a intuição com os insights dos dados, buscando entender as razões por trás de sua percepção. Muitas vezes, isso pode revelar novas perspectivas não consideradas inicialmente.

Consider using your client’s “gut feeling” as the null hypothesis in an experiment. Show how your data and the client’s assumptions work in your solution model - that is, if your client’s gut is right, how does the world work? Can you pull together data and successfully visualize and story-tell to show how their gut differs from observed reality?

Una vez que hayas reconocido las preocupaciones del cliente, es importante volver a los datos para un análisis detallado. Examina los datos con un enfoque crítico para identificar posibles discrepancias, errores, o áreas donde la intuición del cliente podría complementar la información disponible. Al presentar los datos de manera clara y objetiva, puedes ayudar al cliente a ver la situación desde una nueva perspectiva, mostrando cómo los datos respaldan o desafían su intuición, y sugiriendo posibles ajustes.

Once you acknowledge your client’s concerns, the next step is to dive deep into the project data. An objective analysis can help clarify the situation and reveal insights that either support or counter the client’s gut feeling. Present the data in a clear and understandable format, focusing on key trends and facts that align with the project’s goals. By grounding your discussion in solid evidence, you make it easier for both you and the client to identify the best path forward.

Check and recheck your sources to make sure they are accurate. Try your best to synthesize the client's perspectives with the data to see if you can come up with a unifying perspective.

Conducting a comprehensive data analysis is crucial when facing a conflict between data and a client's intuition. Delve into the data with a keen eye for detail, ensuring that your interpretation is accurate and that all relevant variables are considered. Proper contextualization of the data is essential, as it can either support or challenge the client's instincts. By presenting well-grounded findings, you can respectfully engage with your client, bridging the gap between intuition and data-driven insights.

After analyzing the data, it's essential to explore other possible solutions or approaches that address both the client's concerns and the data-driven insights. Engage in a collaborative discussion with the client to brainstorm different options. This could involve adjusting strategies, considering new angles, or even finding a middle ground between their intuition and the data.

Dans ce cas, nous avons exploré plusieurs hypothèses alternatives : un effet de saisonnalité non pris en compte, un segment d'utilisateurs précoces non représentatif, ou encore un délai d'adoption plus long que prévu. Cette approche nous a permis d'enrichir l'analyse et de nuancer les conclusions initiales.

Exploring alternative explanations is key when addressing a disconnect between intuition and data. Consider external factors or potential lag effects that might account for the differences. By proposing alternative hypotheses, you show a commitment to a comprehensive analysis that goes beyond a single narrative. This approach not only validates the client's perspective but can also reveal new strategies or solutions that may have been overlooked, ensuring a more well-rounded decision-making process.

First, we have to acknowledge client's concern. Then, we should ask which data set he/she "feels" wrong and why. Sometimes, it could be really bad quality data that leads to the issues. If data is incorrect, we must correct it back. Data is captured and it can be subjected to input error (unit of measure, timing, etc). But if the data is already verified, then it is time for you to share your point of view of why the analysis make sense and why you have draw to the conclusion. Yet, never get into an argument but more an open dialogue so that you can extract more info / context from the other side. That only helps you to build trust and creditability, and not the other way round.

Facilitating an open dialogue is essential when navigating differing perspectives. Encourage your client to elaborate on their gut feelings and explore how these insights might align with the data. This conversation fosters mutual understanding and can lead to a consensus on the path forward. Additionally, it offers an opportunity to educate the client on data interpretation while gaining valuable industry insights that may not be readily apparent in the numbers.

Of course, engaging in an open and honest conversation is critical, but the difficult part is the step before this. It is understanding your customer: 1. When do they hear you the most? 2. What kind of emotional / logical arguments do they entertain? 3. If you need them to listen, what data or story would you bet on? 4. Do you understand how to read / interpret their response during the conversation to steer the conversation in the right way? 5. Do you know when to abort the conversation and move away from the topic? The important thing here is that the customer's gut feel is likely related to an emotional justification. Finding the balance of logical & emotional arguments is the key.

En proyectos con altos riesgos o incertidumbre, en donde los datos en líneas de tiempo reducidas no son tan efectivas se requiere siempre la interrelación con el cliente, tomando su experiencia y con la metodología que se necesita poder tener un proyecto exitoso. La participación del cliente no solo genera menor riesgo al fracaso sino que tranquilidad del mismo cliente y al final una buena percepción de trabajo en equipo.

Trust building is not a 'point in time' activity. Your customers are also people and they would trust another person when they see mutual connection and honest concern. Treat them are your friends and colleagues and foster a healthy relationship. This will help you get their ears and mindshare when you need them to listen the most.

J'ai montré au client comment son intuition nous avait permis d'approfondir l'analyse et d'obtenir une vision plus complète. En valorisant sa contribution tout en restant factuel sur les données, j'ai pu renforcer notre relation de confiance. Cela a créé un dialogue constructif où intuition et données se complètent plutôt que s'opposent.

Una vez que hayas reconocido las preocupaciones del cliente, es importante volver a los datos para un análisis detallado. Examina los datos con un enfoque crítico para identificar posibles discrepancias, errores, o áreas donde la intuición del cliente podría complementar la información disponible. Al presentar los datos de manera clara y objetiva, puedes ayudar al cliente a ver la situación desde una nueva perspectiva, mostrando cómo los datos respaldan o desafían su intuición, y sugiriendo posibles ajustes.

If gut feeling clashes with project data, you can navigate this conflict: 1. Understand the context/concerns and why a person is favouring gut feeling over data 2. Highlight how robust data/facts can fill the gaps in intuition and can support or refute intuition 3. Set goals and communicate/demonstrate benefits with data insights 4. Foster dialogue/curiosity through right set of questions 5. Build trust, offer support and collaborate frequently

Es importante reconocer el patron de pensamiento del cliente, bien sea una alta orientación hacia el analisis numerico o una clara orientacion hacia las decisiones intutitivas, en importante construir un dialogo en el que se consideren ambas perspectivas, la toma de decisiones es un proceso en el cual siempre habra un grado de incertidumbre frente a los efectos potenciales de la decisión, en consultoria es importante acompañar al cliente y permitirle explorar las posibilidades para que sea el cliente quien toma las decisiones previa concertación.