Despite suggestions that analytics projects have value, the literature has, at times, glossed over the obstacles organizations must overcome to realize value from analytics. This research reports on a longitudinal case study of one organization's efforts to improve its profit margins by incorporating analytics into how it generates revenue. The case describes a business unit launching the organization's analytics initiatives, which they deliberately hid from their information technology department to reduce interference. Our study finds that realizing shadow analytics value involves a 3-phase sensemaking process that redefines organizational structures and sets organizations on the path towards digital transformation. These findings offer implications to the mechanisms and structures necessary for realizing value from analytics. Practically, analytics projects may require managers to rethink project management practices and business unit’s and IT department’s roles in analytics projects.

尽管有人建议分析项目具有价值，但文献有时掩盖了组织要从分析中实现价值所必须克服的障碍。这项研究报告了一个纵向案例研究，该案例研究了一个组织通过将分析纳入其创收方式来提高其利润率的努力。该案例描述了一个业务部门启动组织的分析计划，他们有意将其隐藏在信息技术部门以减少干扰。我们的研究发现，实现影子分析的价值涉及3个阶段的决策过程，该过程重新定义了组织结构并使组织走上数字化转型的道路。这些发现为实现分析价值所必需的机制和结构提供了启示。