Beyond Efficiency: How AI is Redefining Data Analytics
Putting together human and machine intelligence for better analytics workflows
Ever feel like you're drowning in data but starving for insights? You're not alone. Business leaders everywhere are grappling with this challenge. They need answers yesterday, while analysts are often stuck in a cycle of repetitive tasks, inconsistent processes, and a frustrating lack of visibility. It's like trying to find a specific pebble on a beach – tedious and time-consuming. At Solid, we're building an Analytics Workflow Management platform to change that. And as I've been diving into this world of data and AI, I've been reflecting on the principles in "The Automation Advantage" by Accenture's chief technologists, and how they apply specifically to the world of AI-driven data analytics.
The book highlights a fundamental shift in how we think about automation. It's no longer just about replacing human workers with machines for the sake of efficiency. The new game is Human + Machine (which is another book by the same group), how to make 1+1=3 by taking the best from both. It's about intelligent automation – using AI to augment our human capabilities, improve decision-making, and ultimately drive business strategy. This resonates deeply with what we're doing at Solid. We're not trying to replace analysts; we're giving them a boost, a superpower, and focusing on what they enjoy most and are best suited for.
"The Automation Advantage" offers a blueprint for implementing automation across an entire organization. So, how do these lessons apply to the specific challenge of automating the data analytics workflow? And how does Solid help you put these principles into action? Let's dive in.
Setting the Stage: Defining Goals and Measuring Success
"The Automation Advantage" emphasizes the crucial importance of aligning automation strategy with your overall business goals. In the world of data analytics, this means clearly defining what you want to achieve with AI. Are you aiming to increase analyst productivity? Improve the consistency of your reporting? Empower business users to find answers on their own? Like a scientist setting up an experiment, you need your variables defined. Once you've defined your goals, you need to establish clear metrics. For example, you might track the number of analytics tickets processed per analyst, the percentage of business requests answered by existing dashboards (reducing the need for analyst intervention), or the time it takes to generate a critical report. Without these metrics, you're just throwing spaghetti at the wall – you won't know if your AI initiatives are actually making a difference.
When thinking about where AI can make a strategic difference, keep in mind there are different aspects of the process AI can help with - and they are not all just making the result more accurate. The fields for consideration of AI benefits include the following:
Speed - how fast can you return a result? AI can do it much faster than a human analyst, for example when searching across existing assets.
Scale - a close cousin of Speed, Scale means an AI agent can handle 1000’s of tasks at the same time, while humans are (mostly) single threaded.
Personalization - AI is very good at giving a personal touch to results, and adapting them to the needs of specific business users.
Cost - AI can be much cheaper to operate, especially for mundane and repetitive tasks.
Quality - AI results can be tuned to be high quality, consistent and explainable (when using the right platforms and algorithms for the task).
Re-Architecting the Workflow: Adapting Processes for AI
Simply automating existing processes won't cut it. It's like putting a rocket engine on a horse-drawn carriage – it might go faster, but it's not the optimal solution. You need to rethink your entire workflow to truly leverage the strengths of AI. This often means redefining the roles of human analysts and AI. For example, AI excels at tasks like searching for relevant data, automatically documenting analyses, and identifying inconsistencies. Human analysts, on the other hand, are better suited for interpreting results, developing insights, and communicating those insights to business stakeholders. At Solid, we've designed our platform with this in mind. Our AI-powered search and chat functionalities empower users to quickly find the information they need, freeing up analysts to focus on higher-value work. Solid's task management features also promote consistency by encouraging the reuse of past work and flagging potential issues.
The Power of Small Wins: Start Small, Scale Fast
Proving the value of AI requires a pragmatic approach. Don't try to boil the ocean. Instead, identify a specific pain point and develop a targeted AI solution. Once you've demonstrated success, scale quickly to other areas of the business. This "small wins" approach builds momentum and fosters buy-in. It's like building a skyscraper – you start with a solid foundation and then build upwards. Solid's modular design makes it easy to start with a specific use case, like improving data visibility, and then expand to other areas, such as enhancing consistency or boosting analyst productivity.
Navigating the Human Element: Addressing Cultural and Organizational Barriers
"The Automation Advantage" rightly points out that cultural and organizational barriers can be significant obstacles to automation initiatives. People may fear job displacement or resist changes to their workflows. To overcome these challenges, focus on creating visible wins and communicating the benefits of AI clearly. Show how AI can make analysts' jobs easier and more rewarding, and how it can empower business users to make better decisions.
The fear of job displacement is a common concern with automation, but research like the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 suggest that while some roles will be impacted, many new opportunities will also emerge, requiring a focus on reskilling and adaptation.
At Solid, we believe that AI has the potential to truly transform the data analytics workflow. By following the lessons outlined in "The Automation Advantage" and leveraging the capabilities of platforms like Solid, organizations can unlock the full potential of their data and drive better business outcomes. We're excited to be at the forefront of this transformation, helping businesses move from data chaos to data-driven insights. It’s a journey, and we’re just getting started.