Purpose

The study aims to provide insights in the sensemaking process and the use of business analytics (BA) for project selection and prioritisation in start-up settings. A major focus is on the various ways start-ups can understand their data through the analytical process of sensemaking.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a comparative case study of two start-ups that use BA in their projects. The authors follow an interpretive approach and draw from the constructivist grounded theory method (GTM) for the purpose of data analysis, whereby the theory of sensemaking functions as the sensitising device that supports the interpretation of the data.

Findings

The key findings lie within the scope of project selection and prioritisation, where the sensemaking process is implicitly influenced by each start-up's strategy and business model. BA helps start-ups notice changes within their internal and external environment and focus their attention on the more critical questions along the lines of their processes, operations and business model. However, BA alone cannot support decision-making around less structured problems such as project selection and prioritisation, where intuitive judgement and personal opinion are still heavily used.

Originality/value

This study extends the research on BA applied in organisations as tools for business development. Specifically, the authors draw on the literature of BA tools in support of project management from multiple perspectives. The perspectives include but are not limited to project assessment and prioritisation. The authors view the decision-making process and the path from insight to value, as a sensemaking process, where data become part of the sensemaking roadmap and BA helps start-ups navigate the decision-making process.

中文翻译：

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在项目选择和优先级排序中了解业务分析：来自初创企业的见解

目的

这项研究的目的是在启动过程中的决策过程和业务分析（BA）的使用方面提供见解，以进行项目选择和优先级排序。创业公司主要通过各种分析方法来理解其数据，以各种方式来理解它们的数据。

设计/方法/方法

这是对两个在项目中使用BA的初创公司的比较案例研究。作者遵循一种解释性方法，并从建构主义的扎根理论方法（GTM）中汲取了数据分析的目的，其中意义分析理论充当了支持数据解释的敏化工具。

发现

关键发现位于项目选择和优先级划分的范围内，在此范围内，每个初创企业的策略和业务模式都会隐含地影响决策过程。BA帮助初创企业注意到其内部和外部环境的变化，并将他们的注意力集中在流程，运营和业务模型等更关键的问题上。但是，仅凭BA不能支持围绕结构性较小的问题（例如项目选择和优先次序）的决策，而在这些问题中，直观判断和个人意见仍然大量使用。

创意/价值

这项研究扩展了将BA作为组织用于业务发展的工具的研究。具体来说，作者从多个角度借鉴了BA工具的文献来支持项目管理。观点包括但不限于项目评估和优先次序。作者将决策过程以及从洞察力到价值的路径视为一种有意义的过程，其中数据成为有意义的路线图的一部分，而BA则可以帮助初创企业在决策过程中进行导航。