Complex Data Science at the Kentucky Derby and Other Uses of Baldrige

With the Belmont Stakes this weekend and a potential triple crown victory after more than 30 years, today, I'm writing a short blog, which is pretty unusual for me. But that's because I came across another blog that I thought would be a fun and interesting read for the Baldrige community: "What Kentucky Derby Handicapping Can Teach Us About Organizational Metrics."

In trying to determine the finishing place for race horses, a "complex exercise in data science," author Nicole Radziwill realized that she was essentially following the Baldrige analysis process "LeTCI" to determine whether an organization "has constructed a robust, reliable, and relevant assessment program to evaluate their business and their results."

"And what does this mean for organizational metrics?" she writes. "To me, it means that when I’m formulating and evaluating business metrics I should take a perspective that’s much more like handicapping a major horse race—because assessing performance is intricately tied to capabilities, context, the environment, and what’s bound to happen now, in the near future."

Click on the link above to read the article. And here's some more food for Baldrige thought: Results are important, but they must derive from process. What ADLI indicators might you look for in a prize-winning horse?

What other innovative ways have you used Baldrige outside of an organizational assessment?