If you haven't yet read the primer to this article or you are wondering why you should read on, be sure to check out Part One - Why Should I Care?.
Whether you are a novice planning to convert your antiquated building mechanical systems over to more data-capable infrastructure, a seasoned actionable analytic veteran looking to stay sharp, or someone there-between on the spectrum, everyone can use a few good tips every now and then. Without further ado, here are our top five.
#1 See the end game.
Think of your building analytics strategy (and/or your business) like a game of chess. In chess, each player is provided limited capital (pieces) with which they must successfully execute a strategy leading to the eventual capture of the opponent’s most valuable resource (the king). Any individual effective in this art will tell you the importance of always keeping in mind the “end game”. No maneuver should take place, no resource sacrificed, no opponent’s territory captured, unless it is done with a clear path to the desired end result. Apply this strategy throughout the building data process and you will surely remain a step ahead.
The goals, rules, and methods in leveraging building data are not as clear-cut as your average board-game, and—if you’re doing it right—they will vary based on the needs of your business and your properties. Thus, it is of the absolute highest importance to establish an end game that is strategic, quantifiable, and action-oriented.
Why action-oriented?
A goal that sounds like “develop a thorough understanding of ‘X’” or “provide a report demonstrating ‘Y’” is much like setting a goal of “get to third base” in baseball; it can take a lot of effort to get there, but you aren’t going to put any points on the board even if you do.
The unfortunate reality is that many plans in the building data analytics realm result in little more than a bit of insight and dusty binder on a shelf. This is most commonly caused by a goal which is poorly set or possesses a lack of buy-in at all appropriate decision-making levels. Setting a goal such as “identify and implement measures which will yield a XX% portfolio reduction in utility costs and XX% reduction in operational expenses by 20XX” will not only force the use of the data beyond the reporting phase but also raise the eyebrows of any individuals who may not have subscribed to the concept of post-reporting investment, thus allowing the opportunity to gain necessary buy-in from the get-go.
#2 Know your ROLE.
The key to success in any endeavor is to first identify the role in which one's self and one's organization will deliver the most value to the process.
Every organization (and every individual therein) has a set of core competencies. These core competencies are the things that the organization does well—often better than the competition—and are at the heart of the what the business was established to do and/or how the company delivers its key points of differentiation to its current or prospective clients. The basic question that must be asked before entering into the data analytics realm is, “Is this a task for which my internal resources are or can be capable of performing from start to finish, and—even if so—is this the best possible area for us to dedicate the resources needed to do so?”
Whether the final answer is yes or no, solicit some feedback from third-party experts in order to identify any vital aspects which you may be failing to take into consideration. If the answer was—in fact—no, this step can also help to serve as your initial vetting of possible partners (external resources) which you can contract to handle the task for your organization. There are a number of specialized companies fully capable of helping with every phase of the process from goal-setting to data-mining to analytics through action and back to the start again. Of course, we prefer you use era.
#3 Set up your hindsight for success.
When building automation systems first became capable of trending building points, it was thought that this would prove to be one of their most valuable functions. In doing so, one could set up perceived key data points to trend so that insights could be gleaned from the data in the future. However—as many building operators and automation professionals soon came to realize—the issue herein was that often surprise issues would arise or new concepts would be developed for which additional points would need to be added in order for the trend to be useful, essentially resulting in a "refresh" of the trend, starting over as Day 1.
Remember: Building data isn’t just physical, and it isn't limited to individual properties. The integration of portfolio- and building-level financial, operational, and system data to the process is where truly insightful, actionable knowledge can be found.
Hindsight is always 20/20 (or better); thus you should set your hindsight up for success. Instead of setting up “trending” to store data henceforth, set up all data to be collected immediately and stored in perpetuity so that future “trends” or analytics thereof can take place at any point. This way—whether you have the foresight and experience to see it coming down the road or it is the inevitable situation in which your rear-view mirror proves to have greater clarity than your windshield—you will have what you need to succeed.
#4 Avoid the Coma.
Ever seen or heard of “paralysis by analysis”? Neither have we.
Data -> Information -> Knowledge -> Action
In the primer to this article, we discussed the general path of turning building data into action. Constantly keeping this path in mind is one of the keys to success when it comes to actionable building analytics. If you are setting your hindsight up for success by collecting all of the available data for future use, this is going to mean that there is a lot of information to be found.
The question which your analytics team and/or partner should constantly ask is, “Will this information help to yield actionable knowledge?” If the answer is no, then the information does not belong in a report, nor does it need to be shown in a PowerPoint or complexly explained over the course of a conversation. Often performers of analytics feel the need to show their work (they tend to be the ones who performed splendidly in grade-school Algebra), but decision-makers do not need to have their thought process clouded by frivolous statistics and graphs. What they need is the key insights which will help to make their organizations and their properties better.
#5 Be like Mick.
You don’t need to have moves like Jagger to be a rolling stone, and we all know that rolling stones gather no moss.
Actionable analytics is a cycle, not a straight-line process with a clear-cut finish line. At any and every point during the process, one should return to previous steps to glean further insight: add more data sources as they become available, create greater sets of information, wrap back around to knowledge previously created to see how circumstances have changed and what actions can be taken to catalyze their continued travel in a positive direction. In doing so, you will be setting up your organization and your buildings/properties to be in a state of constant improvement, now and moving on into the future.
As always, please feel free to reach out to your era building solutions representative for any questions or greater detail. The only thing we love more than yeilding building improvement through action is an opportunity to deliver exceptional service.