Marketing Analytics

Analytics Proficiency Assessment

Where do we currently sit in terms of analytical
maturity?

The outcome of the analytics process should drive efforts to increase proficiency. As an organization's proficiency
evolves, analytics is increasingly used to explain performance and facilitate decision making.
Poor.At this level of proficiency, the organization uses on-demand analysis and reporting to solve discrete
problems. Analysis and reporting is reactive, often driven by the urgent need to explain something that has taken
place. The analysis timeframe is historical.
Emerging.The organization aspires to use analytics to consistently measure and report performance, but it does
not yet define performance objectives to frame the analytics effort. The analysis timeframe is historical.
Adequate.Analytics are focused on objectives agreed upon by sales and marketing (e.g. lead management servicelevel agreements), and the results are used periodically to support decisions. Historical analysis is used to
determine if the organization is performing to expectations.
Advanced.At this level of proficiency, sales and marketing are aligned and focused on extracting the maximum
value from information, and selectively driving change to improve business processes and performance. With
internal historical analysis providing a solid foundation, organizations perform comparative and trend analysis
augmented by external data sources. Historical analysis evolves to an exploratory perspective, which uses
historical data to conduct what-if analysis that can identify scenarios that might result in improved outcomes.
Optimized.The organization continuously relies on advanced analytics to help drive change, seek new
opportunities and find the best ways to improve effectiveness and performance. Analytics are integrated into

This dimension includes the types and scope of processes that enable on-demand and periodic analysis.
Poor.No consistent process exists for requesting uniform analyses for projects that have similar
requirements. Reporting is time-consuming, since manual data cleansing must occur for every iteration.
Various individuals within the organization may investigate similar topics but end up with unique
interpretations due to variations among problem definitions, data and analysis techniques.
Emerging.Siloed processes exist for regular reporting of marketing performance against selected
objectives, as well as for requesting and defining new types of analysis.
Adequate.Analytics efforts are scheduled and consistent. Functional reporting of lead flow from
marketing to sales includes key performance indicators and conversion ratios. An analytics service
orientation enables a business problem to be analyzed and transformed into an analytics project.
Advanced.The SiriusDecisions Demand Waterfall and service-level agreements between functions are
foundational. The analytics function works with internal customers to identify business problems that
can be addressed by an analytics team.
Optimized.Sales and marketing are closely aligned, and the analytics process is integrated across
functions. New analytics efforts are defined and implemented at all levels of the organization.

This dimension focuses on the ability of an organization to use people and systems to plan and execute analytics
efforts.
Poor.Personnel have quantitative skills, yet lack training on effective sales and marketing analysis and
reporting. Tools are limited to office productivity applications and custom templates.
Emerging.Required skills include data stewardship and basic analysis, as well as an understanding of
marketing and sales performance reporting. Departmental or centralized business intelligence applications may
be in use. The use of analysis techniques is limited.
Adequate.Internal or external resources fulfill a blended role of analytics business analyst and data steward.
Sufficient tools are present in departments, a centralized analytics function or external providers to perform the
types of historical analysis that are required.
Advanced.Data steward, data architect, data scientist and business analyst roles exist internally or externally
as part of an analytics services organization. Tools for advanced analysis are available either internally or
through specialized services from external providers.
Optimized.The use of tools and resources is optimized, and analytics are performed by a mix of departmental,
centralized and outsourced services and personnel. There is a high degree of awareness and understanding of

Data is the fuel that drives effective analytics; the availability and quality of it determine the quality of insight that
can be yielded by analytics efforts.
Poor.Inconsistent use of data across the organization leads to varying reporting categories, thresholds and
assessments. Multiple reports and analyses produce multiple versions of the truth.
Emerging.A focus on capturing data across the organization provides consistency. Reporting is repeatable and
based on reliable data; however, the number of data sources is limited, and data must be cleaned for each
iteration of analysis and reporting. Use of data outside a known set of resources is a hardship.
Adequate.A dedicated resource ensures that data from across the organization is available for analysis. This
includes the ability to access, validate, transform, secure and dispose of data. Data is primarily internal, but
some external data sources may be available.
Advanced.Data requirements expand to include unstructured information from internal sources (e.g. customer
interaction, service, support, financial data) as well as external sources (e.g. economic data, news feeds). IT
infrastructure requirements expand to include capacity for large volumes of data from many different sources,
often delivered and processed at real-time data rates. The data management challenge increasingly focuses on
managing volume and velocity, and determining how to dispose of data after it is used.
Optimized.The data management environment continually expands and adapts to the need to access data from

An organization cannot benefit from analytics unless it is prepared to implement the changes indicated by the
results of analytics efforts. This dimension of the model examines the attitudes of people within the
organization toward data-driven decision making.
Poor.Decision making based on analytics meets with resistance, because there is no history of success. The
environment is marked by reaction to one crisis after another. Little consideration is given to implementing
long-term change in marketing or sales operations.
Emerging.Sales and marketing leadership may aspire to an expanded use of analytics, but they are
reluctant to make specific decisions based on analytics results. Insights that are accepted focus on proof of
ROI and justification of investment.
Adequate.Leadership is open to investing in analytics resources, planning and cross-functional collaboration,
and there is an active desire to infuse data-driven decision making into the organization. Although the
organization has adopted analytics, some evangelizing is still required to gain support across the business.
Analytics may be used to enforce policies and service-level agreements, but is rarely used to obtain insight
into new sales and marketing opportunities that may lead to increased revenue or profitability.
Advanced.All parts of the organization are receptive to data-driven planning and decision making, and a
constituency of sponsors supports progress. Analytics impact expands to selected business processes and
resource allocations.