Anecdotal evidence: worthwhile or worthless, when compared with metrics and statistics? Which do you use more in your business?

The question was asked first on LinkedIn where other answers can be found. My answer was:

"Dear Liviu.

The most important anecdotal evidence is the story of a decision process.

Unlike making choices or making judgments, decision making is not a repeatable process in the same way that repetitive production processes are.

Choice making deals with present alternatives defined by others and the most readily dealt with on a statitical basis.

Judgment making deals with pre-established criteria applied to changing fact situations, like in court room situations where law is deveoped on a case by case basis.

Because decision-making is what leaders are supposed to do to set the course of others, anecdotal evidence of how they came to their decisions is precious indeed and clearly the most effective over the long run.

Thanks for this important question."

What do you think?

Please include your comment here or contact me to discuss.

Thanks.

John Darrouzet