If you take away the people, then software, data, and analytics don’t really matter. Anecdote is the space between and around the data points. To add meaning to data, you need stories, people, and art.

Here are my and Doug Shaw’s HR Tech haikus on people and data.

HRTech Haiku
Sort the data from the flow
Aha! Now I see
(ds)

We don’t know ourselves.
So we need data to see.
What is your story?
(hb)

Binary sequence
Long strings of ones and zeroes
On off on off on
(ds)

Data cannot drive.
It doesn’t do anything
Unless asked nicely.
(hb)

Data makes patterns
Numbers as flow and beauty
Your work is your art
(ds)

Data in the cloud
It’s raining information
Drowning in numbers
(ds)

Workforce analytics
How do we measure spirit?
With data ripples.
(hb)

Technology now!
Data and analytics.
Looks just like people.
(hb)

Human capital
A name devoid of feelings
I’m not a number
(ds)

Data are just bits
Of fact, wrapped up in stories.
Truth requires both.
(hb)

Thank you to Doug Shaw for the inspiration and conspiracy. Here is Doug’s take on the project. Enjoy!