Comments on: Ass-covers… http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/ Who analyzes the analysts? - analystanalyst.com Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:44:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Corkscrew or Cathedral? « ITasITis http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-67 Corkscrew or Cathedral? « ITasITis Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:27:06 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-67 [...] IT Forum blog), 20 Aug 2008 - you will need to create a free Guest account to visit this page • Ass-covers AnalystAnalyst blog, 14 Jun 2008, and [...] [...] IT Forum blog), 20 Aug 2008 – you will need to create a free Guest account to visit this page • Ass-covers AnalystAnalyst blog, 14 Jun 2008, and [...]

]]> By: InformationSpan http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-66 InformationSpan Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:23:57 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-66 Late comment ... InformationSpan has a map of how people use analysts. 1 - to confirm existing prejudices - bad!! 2 - to justify decisions already made - worse!! 3 - in panic (something changed or went wrong); well at least they realise they need help 4 - in a strategic partnership If management is asking for "Gartner expertise" the battle is already lost. Only option (4) can get ahead of this one: a strategic relationship with your insight service provider so that they are contributing to the environment in which decisions are made, at least as much as they contribute to individual decisions. It should emphatically not be the vendor who delivers this kind of information into a procurement. The IT organisation should be doing this research routinely, and should already know which analyst to go to for a realistic assessment. And that means a person within a firm, not just the firm. Management should know that this research will have been done, and that it will be cited within the case they are asked to approve. And it doesn't necessarily mean the decision must be in line with the analyst's recommendation. But it does mean that if you are going against it, you must be able to argue the case. It takes time to get there ... Late comment …

InformationSpan has a map of how people use analysts.

1 – to confirm existing prejudices – bad!!
2 – to justify decisions already made – worse!!
3 – in panic (something changed or went wrong); well at least they realise they need help
4 – in a strategic partnership

If management is asking for “Gartner expertise” the battle is already lost. Only option (4) can get ahead of this one: a strategic relationship with your insight service provider so that they are contributing to the environment in which decisions are made, at least as much as they contribute to individual decisions.

It should emphatically not be the vendor who delivers this kind of information into a procurement. The IT organisation should be doing this research routinely, and should already know which analyst to go to for a realistic assessment. And that means a person within a firm, not just the firm. Management should know that this research will have been done, and that it will be cited within the case they are asked to approve.

And it doesn’t necessarily mean the decision must be in line with the analyst’s recommendation. But it does mean that if you are going against it, you must be able to argue the case.

It takes time to get there …

]]> By: Steve Attias http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-64 Steve Attias Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:36:53 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-64 I agree with Dale. often I am in the situation of being on that governance board, and if some techy brings in some product from a company I have never heard of, that will consume a substantial piece of the company's resources, I want to know how they got to this decision - so what was the long list amd how did it get shortened. And I'll trust Gartner (among others) to help bring that list into focus. I agree with Dale. often I am in the situation of being on that governance board, and if some techy brings in some product from a company I have never heard of, that will consume a substantial piece of the company’s resources, I want to know how they got to this decision – so what was the long list amd how did it get shortened. And I’ll trust Gartner (among others) to help bring that list into focus.

]]> By: Naivety? « Analystanalyst’s Weblog http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-58 Naivety? « Analystanalyst’s Weblog Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:36:54 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-58 [...] Mike Rothman in response to my post said that I showed a serious level of [...] [...] Mike Rothman in response to my post said that I showed a serious level of [...]

]]> By: Dale Vile http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-57 Dale Vile Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:51:15 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-57 IMO, use of big analysts at the long-listing stage, and as the basis of part of (though not all of) the due diligence activity during shortlisting, is legitimate and useful. Towards the end of the sales/procurement cycle, genuine due diligence is probably best conducted based on direct evaluation (e.g. workshops, hands-on by project staff, etc) and reference sites - i.e. other customers who have been there, done that. When big analyst firms are used towards the end of the cycle, it is probably for political or negotiation reasons - or, as you say, arse covering :-) IMO, use of big analysts at the long-listing stage, and as the basis of part of (though not all of) the due diligence activity during shortlisting, is legitimate and useful. Towards the end of the sales/procurement cycle, genuine due diligence is probably best conducted based on direct evaluation (e.g. workshops, hands-on by project staff, etc) and reference sites – i.e. other customers who have been there, done that. When big analyst firms are used towards the end of the cycle, it is probably for political or negotiation reasons – or, as you say, arse covering :-)

]]> By: analystanalyst http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-55 analystanalyst Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:26:04 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-55 How do we educate/enlighten the masses to that? How do we educate/enlighten the masses to that?

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/ass-covers/#comment-54 Dennis Howlett Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:09:21 +0000 http://analystanalyst.wordpress.com/?p=22#comment-54 Not at all. They're becoming increasingly irrelevant. Not at all. They’re becoming increasingly irrelevant.

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