Most companies don’t suffer from a lack of data.
They suffer from a lack of direction.
When teams aren’t aligned on what they’re trying to decide, something predictable happens:
THEY START ASKING FOR EVERYTHING.
More metrics.
More breakdowns.
More dashboards.
More “just in case” analysis.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone — and it’s not a failure of your data or your team.
WHEN THERE’S NO DIRECTION, DATA BECOMES A SAFETY NET
I’ve lived this.
I’ve been on teams where leadership genuinely wanted to use data — but wasn’t aligned yet on the decision they needed to make.
The result wasn’t clarity, it was volume.
Not because anyone was careless or unskilled.
BUT BECAUSE ASKING FOR MORE DATA FEELS SAFER THAN COMMITTING TO A PATH.
So the asks multiply-
“Can we add this metric too?”
“What about breaking it out one more way?”
“Let’s just build it all so we’re covered.”
Before long, analytics turns into a holding pattern instead of a decision engine.
WHY THIS HAPPENS (AND WHY IT’S SO COMMON)
This isn’t a data problem. It’s a human one.
When the stakes are high, teams hesitate.
When outcomes are uncertain, leaders look for reassurance.
And data becomes the place we send that uncertainty.
That’s why so many dashboards feel overwhelming — they’re carrying the weight of indecision.
If you’re in this situation, nothing has “gone wrong.” It just means the questions haven’t been clarified yet.
WHEN DIRECTION ISN’T DEFINED FIRST:
Dashboards grow bloated and hard to use.
Analysts chase shifting requests.
Insights lose momentum.
Decisions stall — even with great data available.
More data doesn’t create confidence. Clear questions do.
THE STEP BEFORE ANALYSIS
Before adding another chart or metric, there’s a step most teams skip:
Deciding what they’re actually trying to do.
This needs to be answered in 1 sentence. Without that, more data just delays the moment of choice.
Clarity has to come first.
IF YOU’RE IN THIS RIGHT NOW
I built a short worksheet specifically for moments like this — when there’s plenty of data, but not enough alignment.
It walks you through:
Defining the decision first
Identifying the minimum data needed
Clarifying what action the data should unlock
So analytics moves teams forward instead of buying time.
IF THIS FELT FAMILIAR, YOU’RE NOT ALONE - AND YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
More soon.
— Michelle
Founder, The Data Drop