If there is one thing we have had reinforced over the past year, it’s that the interpretation of data matters just as much as access to the data itself. In business, as in the business of public health, who does the interpretation and the comparisons they choose to create their narrative can turn the meaning of data on its head.

Whilst it has amazed me how many of my friends and family had hidden talents as virologists and epidemiologists (at least according to their social media posts) I have chosen place my reliance on scientific expertise to help me understand and make sense of what has happened and continues to happen.

These narratives are measured, rely on the data to make the point and usually take several points of comparison so that I can understand events ‘in the round’. They are sparse in their use of adjectives and jargon, they explain necessary technical terminology, and they caveat conclusions by pointing to correlation, but unless there is a proven link, are careful not to claim causation.

Not all science uses data so carefully – we only need to look at the continuing promotion of anti-vaccination tropes to see how science can be abused – but good science treats data with real care and it is this care and what it means that I have come to respect in the ten years that I have spent building Good Growth.

Unfortunately, scientists are in short supply in business generally and in digital business in particular. As a result, over the years we have come across organisations who have found themselves at the mercy of bad science.

From misunderstanding the results of MVT or A/B testing, to measuring the wrong things or the right things from the wrong starting point many e-commerce teams are still finding themselves at a disadvantage when trying to understand what levers to pull to drive lasting performance improvement. That’s why so many end up trading their wares through promotions and price rather than through being able to understand the value that customers are looking for.

Business leaders as a result find themselves frustrated by their online performance and yet, whilst drowning in data, seemingly unable to find a clear narrative that can help them understand where they are not meeting customer needs and why. With the shortage of scientists coming out of higher education across the OECD this gap isn’t going to be closed any time soon and as a result there is a market need to find a way to access scientists who understand e-commerce and who can make sense of data such that business leaders can then focus on business performance.

That’s why we have developed 4Front. It gives businesses access to our world-class science capability that has been used by e-commerce and digital teams across the globe to understand their data and build plans that drive growth. Until now this capability has only been accessible through project and consulting contracts. For the first time it is available for any business of any size.

Plug in your data every month and our scientists will tell you what they see, where to ask questions and where to focus your time or attention as you look for growth. They cut through the noise and report without jargon, simply and clearly, highlight the points of comparison and leave you to draw your conclusions.

Want to know more? You’ll find it here.