Present Beyond Measure

21C is for CONTEXT

“Meaning is context-bound, but context is boundless.”

—Jonathan Culler

This is perhaps the most fun step in the PICA Protocol process. That's because it requires putting on your detective hat and solving the true mystery within your databanks. It's also your zone of genius as a data chef, where you roll up your sleeves and get messy with the digits. And it begins with asking a very simple question…in Dutch.

There is a wildly popular conversation starter game in the Netherlands called Vertellis, which translates to “tell me more.” The idea is that when we're in conversation and ask questions, we often stop at the first thing people respond to and move on. But often, it's what's hiding underneath the first response that gets to the heart of the matter.

I want you to play Vertellis with your data stories. Even if the first insight that pops up during the protocol feels like a winner, ask your data to tell you more to reveal other interesting or actionable insights. How do we get your data to spill more beans? We go back and ask more questions!

This matters because what the CONTEXT step bids we ask ourselves is:

• Q: Do I have all the information at my disposal to tell a complete picture?
• Q: Am I showing all the information my stakeholders need to make a sound and informed decision?

Taking your first insight from the PURPOSE and INSIGHT steps at face value may leave a deeper story left unexamined, and that story could be even more directional in terms of strategy. ...