What's the best way to handle conflicting analytical results?

Analytical skills are essential for making data-driven decisions, solving problems, and communicating insights. But what if you encounter conflicting analytical results from different sources, methods, or perspectives? How do you reconcile the discrepancies and determine the best course of action? In this article, you will learn some practical tips to handle conflicting analytical results and avoid common pitfalls.

1 Identify the sources of conflict

To handle conflicting analytical results, the first step is to identify the sources of conflict. Data quality issues, such as missing or inaccurate data, may be the cause, as well as data processing issues like errors during collection or transformation. Analytical methods issues, such as inappropriate tools or assumptions, and interpretation issues, such as ambiguous presentation or communication of results, are also possible sources. By pinpointing the sources of conflict, you can narrow down the scope of the problem and focus on the most reliable data and analysis.

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Melissa Brown, CPA, MBA, CGMA

Chief Financial Officer/ VP of Finance and Accounting ➲ Senior Finance Executive ➲ Accounting & Financial Governance ➲ Audit & Financial Reporting ➲ Strategic & Visionary Leadership ➲ Revenue Growth & Process Improvement
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One method often used to identify discrepancies is variance analysis. Set some parameters, such as an amount and a percentage. If you’re looking at 2 periods of data, calculate the change between periods in dollars and percentage, and review any variance over a pre-determined amount.

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2 Compare and contrast the results

The next step to handle conflicting analytical results is to compare and contrast the results - examining the similarities and differences between them, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each analysis. To gain a deeper understanding of the data and analysis, ask yourself questions such as what are the main findings and conclusions of each analysis, how do they support or contradict each other, what are the assumptions, limitations, and uncertainties of each analysis, how robust, valid, and generalizable are the results, and how sensitive are the results to changes in data or methods. Through this process you can identify any gaps, errors, or outliers.

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3 Evaluate the evidence and arguments

The third step to handle conflicting analytical results is to evaluate the evidence and arguments. This involves assessing the quality, relevance, and credibility of the data and analysis, as well as the logic, clarity, and persuasiveness of the arguments. You should consider criteria such as accuracy, completeness, consistency, relevance, and credibility. This will help you judge the validity, reliability, and usefulness of the data and analysis, while also detecting any flaws, fallacies, or biases. Additionally, it's important to determine if the data and analysis are aligned with the purpose, context, and audience of the analysis.

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4 Synthesize and integrate the results

The fourth step to handle conflicting analytical results is to synthesize and integrate the results. This involves combining and reconciling the data and analysis, as well as deriving and communicating the main insights and implications. To accomplish this, you can weight different data and analysis based on their quality, relevance, and credibility. Additionally, you can calculate the average or median of different data and analysis to obtain a representative or central value. Furthermore, you can conduct a systematic review and analysis of different data and analysis to summarize and synthesize their findings and effects, as well as use different data and analysis to cross-check and validate each other. You can also use narratives, visuals, and metaphors to present and explain the data and analysis in a coherent, engaging, and meaningful way. Ultimately, by synthesizing and integrating the results, you can create a comprehensive, balanced, and actionable picture of the data and analysis that conveys key messages and recommendations.

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5 Learn and improve from the experience

The final step to handle conflicting analytical results is to learn and improve from the experience. This means reflecting on the process and outcome of the data and analysis, as well as identifying and applying the lessons and feedback. Some questions to ask are: what did you learn from the data and analysis? What did you do well in the data and analysis? What did you do poorly in the data and analysis? How can you improve your data and analysis? And how can you apply your learning to future data and analysis? By learning and improving from this experience, you can boost your analytical skills, confidence, and performance; plus, you can also prevent or resolve conflicting analytical results in the future.

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Barry Long

Corporate VP of Program Cost and Control - Cubic Corporation
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We find two imperatives important to analytics and results - understanding and requiring source of truth for key information. Consistent source of truth ensures accuracy of information and teams’ efforts / requirements to ensue current and complete - monitor systemic flow of data that is consistent and repeatable Ensuring these steps builds in improvements to data analytics. But most importantly the value of analytics is great results. We cannot continue to distract the focus to be resolving results because of multiple sourced of truth and analytic paths.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What's the best way to handle conflicting analytical results?

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3

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1 Identify the sources of conflict

2 Compare and contrast the results

3 Evaluate the evidence and arguments

4 Synthesize and integrate the results

5 Learn and improve from the experience

6 Here’s what else to consider

Analytical Skills

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What's the best way to handle conflicting analytical results?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the sources of conflict

2 Compare and contrast the results

3 Evaluate the evidence and arguments

4 Synthesize and integrate the results

5 Learn and improve from the experience

6 Here’s what else to consider

Analytical Skills

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