{"id":2823,"date":"2015-12-17T00:00:52","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T05:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terrencemetz.com\/?p=2823"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:37:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:37:52","slug":"data-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/data-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Transformation — How to convert a single piece of data into a visual display of 16 elements"},"content":{"rendered":"

With data transformation, each piece of data or single cell might be decomposed into another layer. Amplify this approach even further by splitting your four cells into sixteen.<\/h2>\n

Therefore, see the chart below. We can now ask, generate, and record sixteen pieces of information on a large Post-It\u00ae<\/a> for each assignment. Note how we take the four basic criteria<\/a> below and expand them into four additional details (for illustrative<\/em> purposes only).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other Best Practices articles instructed that one key to facilitating effective analysis mandates the facilitator to ask open-ended questions, not simple, close-ended (i.e., yes or no) confirmations. For example, and pardon the simplicity, do not ask \u201cDoes the sport of curling involve any sweat?\u201d Someone will make a compelling argument that it does, albeit minimal perhaps. The superior question, simply re-phrased:\u00a0 \u201cTo what extent does the sport of curling involve sweat? (a lot, little, or somewhere in between)\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

When building a roles and responsibilities matrix<\/a> for example, the classic approach identifies who is going to be \u2018Responsible\u2019 for some apportioned activity or assignment, and the appropriate single cell is given a large, red \u201cR\u201d.\u00a0 At minimum you might ask four questions, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What role will be responsible for this assignment? (e.g., Business Analyst)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. When will we reach completion? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. How much financial resources will be required to complete it? (eg, $,$$$)<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. What is the estimated FTE required to bring it to completion? (FTE = full-time equivalent, such as 0.25 which is one person, full-time, for three months)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"Power

    Power of the Single Cell<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      What role will be responsible for this assignment? (e.g., RASI Chart)<\/span><\/h4>\n
        \n
      1. What role is ultimately being held Accountable<\/strong> and paying for this initiative? (e.g., EVP)<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. What role will be Responsible<\/strong> for this assignment? (e.g., Business Analyst)<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. What roles will be Supporting<\/strong> this assignment? (e.g., Project Manager)<\/span><\/li>\n
      4. What roles need to be Informed<\/strong> about this assignment? (e.g., Customer)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      5. \n

        At what estimated point in time will we reach completion? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/h4>\n
          \n
        1. When does concerted effort begin? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/li>\n
        2. What is the projected halfway point? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. At what estimated point in time will completion be final? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/li>\n
        4. When will the effort be reviewed such as Retrospective or Look Back? (e.g., date specific)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        5. \n

          How much financial resources will be required to complete it? (eg, $,$$$)<\/span><\/h4>\n
            \n
          1. What are the estimated research costs? (e.g., $,$$$)<\/span><\/li>\n
          2. What are the estimated acquisition costs? (e.g., $,$$$)<\/span><\/li>\n
          3. What are the estimated operational costs? (e.g., $,$$$)<\/span><\/li>\n
          4. What are the estimated termination costs? (e.g., $,$$$)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
          5. \n

            What is the estimated FTP required to bring it to completion? (FTP = full-time person, such as 0.25 which is one person, full-time, for three months)<\/span><\/h4>\n
              \n
            1. What maximum number of people work at the same time? (e.g., Quantity)<\/span><\/li>\n
            2. Call on which special subject matter experts? (e.g., Title[s])<\/span><\/li>\n
            3. How much FTP will bring it to completion? (e.g., FTP)<\/span><\/li>\n
            4. Codify any special issues not described above. (narrative, perhaps coded)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Having left a meeting can be comforting because the amount of detail described above is substantial, but knowing that it was consensually<\/a> built and is now owned by the meeting participants is reassuring. When applied to a project plan, using questions similar to the ones shown above, you will deliver a more detailed GANTT chart than most people build in their cubicles alone. Hand this off to an intern who claims to be an \u201cexpert\u201d with Microsoft Project Manager\u00ae and tell them to bring you back a full resource-allocated project plan so that you can go on to your next meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

              ______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

              Lead the Change\u2014One Meeting at a Time<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

              Are you ready to transform how decisions are made, problems are solved, and alignment is built in your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n

              True meeting leadership goes beyond setting an agenda.<\/b><\/span> It requires a facilitator who can navigate complexity, balance voices, and drive toward outcomes with clarity and consensus. Our Professional Meeting Leadership Workshop<\/b><\/span><\/a> and facilitation training equips you to do just that\u2014blending human-centric methods<\/b><\/span> with structured analytical tools<\/b><\/span> to foster rigor, inclusivity, and results that stick.<\/span><\/p>\n