Data Driven: Digital Marxism

What if a single person had the tools to take a simple transaction file and serve up a dashboard of key performance indicators (KPIs) that could drive, in real-time, a discovery process with the team to solve the problem of developing a strategy for achieving 10 percent growth next quarter? And all of this in a single meeting?

On the chart (to the left) is a sample set of metrics that can be driven, today, in real-time, to drive the discovery process. Imagine replacing these KPIs with whatever your brand needs to drive success. Now imagine you can combine any of these elements in a relationship manner to discover strategies. Imagine all of this from a transaction file.

This year, we'll dive into the future with columns that look at our brave new world. In regard to the "what if" scenario above: Are we there yet? As an infant, yes we are! Hang on to those baby toes and here we go. A revolution has begun to rock the data world.

Geoff Wolf is EVP of client strategy at the Mission, Kan., direct marketing agency J. Schmid & Associates. Reach him at geoffw@jschmid.com.