Decisions Over Decimals

CHAPTER 6From Analysis to Synthesis

Synthesis—the composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole.

— Merriam‐Webster Dictionary

With the analysis at hand, and hopefully some useful insights, it is time to convert the analysis and insights into actions. The results from the analysis are simply facts or a series of anecdotes. The key ingredient in converting the insights into actions is connecting the dots. This process of connecting the insights, putting them in the context of the business, and pouring in judgment and intuition to convert the insights into actions is the process of synthesis, the third pillar of the Quantitative Intuition (QI)™ framework. Synthesis is the transition from analysis (primarily the Q in QI) to recommendation and action by adding human judgment and putting the analysis in the context of its environment (the I in QI). But synthesis is often easier said than done. In this chapter, we discuss how to arrive at a synthesis, the possible barriers that cause many to summarize rather than synthesize, and how you and the people you interact with can overcome these barriers.

The Value of Synthesis

To best understand the value of synthesis, consider the following simple, and likely very familiar, example. You have asked your administrative assistant, Sam, to schedule a meeting with Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Davis, and Mrs. Schwartz. Six hours later you receive the following email from Sam.

Mrs. Johnson called. She said that she can't make ...