# The Jam By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-09-16 Psychedelic rock and [[jazz]] are known for their jams. During a jam, the past and future melt away into the present moment. What was played before sometimes echoes later in the piece, but often the song is a meandering journey. There is a groove, and one is either in it or not. Analysis too has elements of a long jam. Getting into the analytic groove takes time. The philosophical question at the core of analysis is what is to be done. Whereas the strategy and planning for an analytic project often occur at the beginning, this fundamental question haunts the entire project. It is this question that fixes the present as the pivotal moment in analysis. All past efforts, no matter how extensive, can be abandoned for something better. The envisioned future, if thought of at all, is simply [[Analysis of the Present is the Future|a point of reference informing present action]]. The moment is now. In a long jam, musicians get tired. One has a solo and then accompanies another as the spotlight moves. In the jam of analytics, it is beneficial for analysts to be attuned to when they or others might need to skip a beat. As we do new insights and opportunities emerge. Being in the present is essential for this type of responsiveness. As more organizations attempt to make use of applied analytics, they must think metaphorically about what they hope to accomplish in the process. It’s going to be a long jam. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Time]] [[Organizational Analytics]] [[Philosophy]] [[Music]]