Nowadays we became quite good at analysing (big) data. However, more often than not, it becomes ‘big data – small insight’. If we only use data, we miss the intuition of our best experts. We say that our most valuable asset is the knowledge of our employees but we only use this knowledge if it fits into neat tables or colourful charts. There is a way to make use of these intuitions and still keep the neatness and tidiness, only we need to use qualitative rather than quantitative tools. With causal maps, we can represent the structure of issues, how they are linked, and what the effect of changing something would be. With knowledge-based expert systems, we can drill down a particular issue, such as a decision, to evaluate decision alternatives. In both of these, we have powerful (qualitative) analysis that can help us figure out priorities or the rules of decisions. Furthermore, both tools also offer the possibility of presenting transparent arguments.

1. SmArt Strategising for the Knowledge Era
Viktor Dörfler
KnowledgeBrief | Bridging Academia and Business

2. 81% of executives believe that “data should be
at the heart of all decision-making” (EY study)
“Big data can eliminate reliance on ‘gut feel’
decision-making” (EY conclusion)

3. Wicked Problem
(emotion, communication)
Tame Problem
(calculation, logic)
Wicked Mess
(metaphor, story)
Mess
(imagination, experiments)
HIGH
LOW
LOW HIGH
Behavioural complexity
Dynamiccomplexity
Experts may have plausible guesses about the future

4. knowledge
skill
Practice
(subsidiary)
Action
(focal)
intuition
Explanation
(subsidiary)
Hunch
(focal)
facts
Measurement
(subsidiary)
Event
(focal)

6. it is necessary to have a master to become one
both following and abandoning the master’s way is wrong
but in this struggle the new master is forged
even the genius needs it
it is a highly asymmetric setup
several forms
1. traditional master-disciple pairs
2. wandering apprentice journeys
3. mutual apprenticing
4. hot spots: creative workshops
 founded by one master

7. A theatre cannot work with all
the actors being Laurence
Oliviers – but it is noticeable if
there is none.
Photo taken by Liz Handy, 2016, Budapest

8. Knowledge is only a potentiality, like the engine of your car.
Thinking is applying knowledge, realising the potentiality, like
the driver’s skill.

9. Professor of Strategy & Management Science
An engineer with great knowledge of
psychology (and even philosophy)
Top 10 strategy scholar in the World
15,000+ Google Scholar citations
A few hundreds of consultancy projects
(using cognitive mapping)
Making Strategy with
Decision Explorer
and there are others as well

10. Professor of Decision Making
An economist with great knowledge of
technology, psychology (and even philosophy)
‘The Mintzberg of Balkan’
20+ books
A few hundreds of consultancy projects
(using knowledge-based system and coaching)
Supporting
Decision Takers
with Doctus

12. Be SmArt
Choose to analyse data where you have data
Use intuition when intuition is needed
Make SmArt
Create an environment where analysts and intuitors co-exist
Develop mutual respect between intuitors and analysts
Do SmArt
Use tools that help intuition be rigorous and transparent
Support master-apprentice relationships

13. www.strath.ac.uk/staff/dorflerviktordr
drviktordorfler
viktordorfler
viktordorfler
viktordorfler
viktordorfler
www.grandmasterproject.com