We live in an era in which information and data management govern our lives and increasingly influence business decisions. If we have a question, we connect to our devices to clarify it. We look for answers online, we learn online, we meet virtually, we live in hyperconnection. That ability to understand things based on a hunch, the nose for decision-making, seems to be a thing of the past. Where are the limits of intuition in the digital age?
Today, the use of data analysis is profoundly transforming everyday life in companies. The intuitive eye to start a business, the acumen to take a risk, the recruiting practices, partnering with one person instead of another, which were previously based on intuition and subjective evaluations, have begun to be enriched with quantitative metrics. and advanced analytics. Some will think that so much data and so much accessibility to information would be killing intuition and I think it is rather expanding its limits.
It is clear that subjectivity will not disappear. Nothing replaces the human experience of seeing each other’s eyes, shaking a hand, and the empathy of professionals is invaluable and cannot be replicated by algorithms. We know that artificial intelligence is a magnificent tool that learns quickly and solves, but it also fails. The data begins to mark the limits of intuition, but we need intuition, that ability to understand what the best option is.
According to Agustín Sedano, CEO of Nearsure, the positive impact of companies data-driven It is undeniable and its adoption continues to increase, both to make informed decisions and to plan for the future. Additionally, according to a Harvard Business Review survey, leaders who base their strategic decisions on data analytics outperform their peers on several key metrics, including operational efficiency (81% vs. 58%), revenue (77% vs. 61% ), customer loyalty and retention (77% vs. 45%), employee satisfaction (68% vs. 39%), and IT cost predictability (59% vs. 44%). It is nothing new that an informed decision brings better results.
Additionally, it is necessary to recognize the role that biases play in the decision-making process. These biases, although often unconscious, can lead to ineffective choices, erroneous predictions, and missed opportunities. An unbiased view should be the foundation of any strategy and a data-driven approach is beneficial to all stakeholders, both organizations and individuals.
One of the key practices that helps is calibrating methods and processes. This implies that all those involved follow a uniform evaluation model to ensure that the results are measured with the same criteria, preventing individual perceptions from influencing quality. In addition, today there are technological tools programmed to focus on performance indices, skills and qualifications, omitting demographic information such as gender and age, which can generate unintentional biases.
Data analysis also provides valuable insights into key metrics such as cost per process, time to meet objectives, and quality of results. This data is essential to improve the end-user experience, intelligently allocate budget, and achieve better results. For example, the data-driven approach has revealed that by leveraging a reliable base of information, time is made profitable thanks to the immediate availability of qualified information, which significantly speeds up the process.
Data is crucial for forecasting future talent needs. Analyzing trends and patterns can help predict what future needs will be. For example, identifying skills gaps that will need to be filled, the number of new hires that will be needed in the future, or improving certain processes. This approach provides a solid knowledge base and ensures teams are prepared for potential challenges ahead.
I insist, adequate data management allows predicting the suitability of a strategy and its probable success. By performing predictive analysis based on historical data from successful executions, organizations can discover patterns and correlations that indicate a candidate’s fit, skills, and cultural alignment. Processes are streamlined, results are accelerated, and the possibility of taking advantage of windows of opportunity more efficiently opens up.
It’s clear that leveraging data intelligently leads to more accurate decision-making and better outcomes. However, human judgment is irreplaceable, the current landscape requires a more rigorous approach that uses analysis to guide decisions aligned with organizational objectives. After all, knowledge is power. However, caution must be exercised when handling data, the information itself is nothing more than a collection of references that cannot be managed alone. The moment of truth arrives when a decision must be made and intuition appears on the scene.
It is as dangerous to base decision making on a set of data as it is on the dictates of your gut. The digital age provides us with tools to use, the judgment remains the realm of human intelligence. An intuitive thought is one that widens its boundaries to see things as a whole, not through their pieces alone. Possibly one of the main characteristics of intuitive people is that they try to reach a degree of holistic understanding of things. That means that they do not analyze what happens by breaking it down into its parts.
The limits of intuition in the digital age expand, become larger and more efficient. In this condition, you must take advantage of both possibilities in the clearest way to make better decisions, that is, decide more accurately to promote the best possible results.
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