Analytics is not just creating algorithms and running numbers. Analytics also must include thinking deeply about the formulas, what the numbers mean, and how do the numbers relate to people. At the beginning of the race many people said Donald Trump was not a serious candidate. I disagreed with everyone and said that Donald Trump was a serious candidate because he voiced what many people were thinking. While I disagree with him on many issues, he did tap into a very real deeply felt sentiment.
People want change – I get it. People want to be better off – I get it. People did not trust Hillary – I get it. But do those people really believe that going back to a trickle down policy, having the federal government tell them how to live, and policies supporting the 1% will really be the change that makes their lives better? Donald Trump’s rust belt strategy taped into great dissatisfaction with the status quo. Ignoring those states in the final days of the election is like the companies who offer great deal to new customers but ignore their current customers. Now Donald Trump needs to consider his position going forward — Hillary Clinton is still ahead in the popular vote at the time I am writing this — how well will he read the sentiment of those people and include them going forward.
Going forward, those who promote polling and analytics need to include the interpretation and detective work along with creating algorithms and running numbers.