Data Is Behaviour

Marketeers are data hounds and view the world through a kaleidoscope of TGIs, JICREGs, TVRs, GRPs, PIs and other splendid analytical goodness.  However, although very smart and helpful, these systems are still approximations (aka guess-timates) of what might be happening in a complex world.  Now, as people increasingly lead their lives online, we have information about what is actually happening in a complex world.  So, for example, instead of mocking-up profiles of typical customers to help guide strategy - we can let the data describe the reality.  And we can see how that reality changes.  All of which, on the face of it, sounds like a good thing.  However, in fact, the move from reference to reality is tricky.  For starters, there's A LOT of this reality stuff and it's VERY messy.  But as with all technology, that bit will eventually be solved by some smart folk, a few machines and a bit of Gordon Moore's magic.  No, the tricky part is moving away from the reassuring, grand planning environment into one where you know who the customer is - because you can smell him.  It's The Cathedral And The Bazaar all over.  In the networked world data isn't an extrapolation or a sample - it's behaviour.  There's no need to second guess the market when you can just wander around it.  What does this mean in practice?  Well one thing is for sure.  When setting up a community, blog or social net, be aware that your guests won't be the people you invited.  But they will be the people you need to know.  Make them welcome.

Comments

[James Governor]

or as i like to call it, Declarative Living and Tag Gardening. We skip along our path through the garden strewing tags behind us. These digital petals can be picked up and acted upon.

[James Cherkoff]

Thanks James, you put it better than me! ;-)