Thinking Analytically

I mentioned on my Random Thoughts blog Chris Anderson’s recent comments regarding the success in the music industry. We continue to hear from the recording industry that record (CD) sales are hurt from digital music. Well it appears that though CDs sales are down, other music industry measures are up such as concert sales.

In “Building the Analytic Organization,” Peter Graham states that the role of Chief Analytic Officer (CAO) is critical for organizations to evolve to the next level of analytic organization.   In this organization, analytics becomes a key organizational competency to the point of requiring a dedicated functional area responsible for analytics.

This intrigues me since I often find myself somewhere in between the purely technical roles and business roles regarding analytics.  Though I have some technical aptitude, I don’t have the formal training nor the experience to consider myself  an IT person.   On the other hand, though I have completed many tactical reporting and analysis projects, I feel analytics can add significant strategic advantage.   Sounds like the analytic functional area would play in that “in-between” space.

So how do the CAO and CIO roles differ?

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