# Don't Be a List Generator By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-06-20 There is a particular type of analyst who is largely unhelpful in a constrained situation. This type of analyst is the list generator. When this type of analyst is brought into a situation, this person examines the situation and details what could be done if various things were available. The basic structure of the list goes like this, “If we had ‘X’…we could do ‘Y.’” Even if accurate, such a list is largely unconstructive. It is incredibly unhelpful when the task is constrained by time. Generating a list of hypotheticals that could be done under different conditions is absurd. What is needed is some form of progress, given what is available. What is needed is an analytic “MacGyver.” An analytic MacGyver improvises with what is available to do what needs to be done. When an organization brings in an analyst, especially late in the game, it is usually an act of desperation. Those in the organization know that things aren’t what they need to be. They also know that they don’t have everything they need. Generating a list of deficiencies simply pours salt in the wound. Don’t be a list generator; be a MacGyver. Improvise analytic solutions with what is available, and organizations will value your ingenuity and tenacity. They need it. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Organization]] [[MacGyver]] [[Problem Solving]] [[Ingenuity]] [[Speed]]