Finding Patterns by Analyzing Data

The organizational development practitioner aims to reduce a large amount of data to a set of manageable patterns which will help to organize the problem into a useful conceptual map. It can be perplexing to decide where to begin and how to tackle such an endeavor. Data can be organized in any number of ways, and the interpretation and analysis of the data are often inseparable from the experience of the person doing the interpreting and sorting.

A more realistic outcome would be for the practitioner to develop a set of data-based preliminary conclusions that lead to a useful conversation with a client who can ideally participate in developing appropriate actions. Procedures for analyzing data are generally derived from two logical methods for reasoning from data. An inductive process consists of reading and sorting through the raw data to develop the key themes from them.

A deductive process of data analysis consists of using models or theories about organizations, organizational change, and human behavior to help sort and interpret the data. Both are common approaches, as is statistical analysis of surveys and questionnaires.