Setting Expectations - an Art and a Science

What strategies do you use in your work as a statistician to ensure successful outcomes?
How do you set expectations with stakeholders when tackling a project?
Are there any common mistakes statisticians make when setting expectations in their job that you have learned to avoid?
How setting realistic expectations can positively impact your work as a statistician?

As I embark on this journey of discussing expectations, it reminds me of an incident that happened to me recently. During one of my business trips, the coffee I ordered at an airport was quite enjoyable; however upon opening the cup - much to my dismay - only half filled with liquid gold! The size and shape established a certain expectation for what should be inside which created feelings of dissatisfaction due to unfulfilled hopes. It goes without saying that if they would have had appropriately sized cups, then there wouldn't have been any misalignments in regard to meeting expectations. Fascinating how something as small scale such different outcomes can make or break experiences!

As statistical professionals, we frequently encounter situations where our technical expertise is required to communicate complex data insights to a non-statistical audience. Creative data visualizations, tailored to the audience, are an effective tool to help us overcome this communication gap. By presenting information in a clear and understandable manner, we can over-deliver expectations and make a real impact on our work projects.

In this episode, I give more tips on how to set expectations and the following points: