Leading in a Data-Driven World: Developing Quantitative Intuition (QI)

In this workshop-style course, professors Frank, Magnone, and Netzer build on their rich experience from Amazon, American Express, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Microsoft and PSB Insights as well as academia to share a framework called Quantitative Intuition (QI). QI is a set of rapid response tools designed to enable you to build the skills to make confident decisions in a data-driven world, without needing to be a math whiz. The challenge in today's world is not the lack of information but the judgment to use it. What distinguishes the person who consistently makes smart decisions? Successful decision-makers quickly sort through information by asking essential questions to be fierce interrogators of data not from a statistical perspective but from a validity perspective, putting the data in the context of the problem, and synthesizing the information leading to an effective decision. Bringing these parts together is at the heart of the Quantitative Intuition framework—the key is learning to strike the right balance between data intelligence and human judgment so you can move forward with confidence. We will not teach data analysis software tools. Rather, students will learn to formulate critical business questions to effectively frame issues and change the dialogue with their stakeholders. The course is aimed at managers and aspiring managers in all facets of business (e.g., consulting, marketing, strategy, product management, and finance) who seek to equip themselves with pragmatic skills to be successful in our data-driven world to make faster, smarter decisions. An important aspect of this course is that it bridges theory and practice. Oded Netzer is the Vice Dean for Research and the Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business at Columbia Business School; he also works at Amazon as an Amazon Scholar. Christopher Frank is The CEO of PSB Insights and formerly at American Express and Microsoft, and Paul Magnone is the Head of Global Strategic Alliances at Google and previously at IBM and Deloitte Consulting. Together they have developed and passed the knowledge of Quantitative Intuition to thousands of students and executives. Together, they have written the successful book “Decisions Over Decimals: Striking the Balance Between Intuition and Information”.