Driving True ROI: Transforming Scattered Effort into Actual Impact

Our client, a consumer goods company with a diverse team, set out to transform its business practices by harnessing the power of AI and data analytics.

Leaders realized that scattered efforts across teams were limiting the impact of their initiatives. They sought to unify the work under a shared strategy—ensuring every proposal not only drove measurable results but advanced industry-leading business transformation.

By collecting expertise and creativity across roles and fostering collaboration, the client aimed to set a new benchmark for identifying and vetting AI and analytics project proposals to ensure resources focused on ideas with the strongest ROI.

Previous attempts to innovate relied on isolated data initiated by individual teams. The lack of a coherent framework meant that resources were often spent on low-impact activities, diminishing overall value and hampering widespread adoption.

Without a proven method to engage employees and focus collective energy, the risk was high: wasted resources, slow adoption, and minimal measurable improvement.

The urgent need was for a standard process that transformed scattered effort into unified, strategic action—aligning every project with broader business goals and tangible ROI.

Elder Research partnered with the client to design a four-session educational series focused on building foundational data science knowledge and applying it to real business challenges.

In the first three sessions, conducted virtually, participants learned about data analytics, generative AI, automation, and governance—from basic concepts like segmentation and principal component analysis to tips for effective AI prompt generation and an explanation of how data governance fuels growth.

The final in-person session converted that learning into project proposals that could reduce costs, save time, or generate new revenue. Participants worked in small teams, debating and refining ideas based on impact and feasibility. Senior leaders provided guidance, aiming to match creative employee insight with strategic priorities.

The result: a collaborative process built on transparency, shared language, and a simple evaluation model for proposal merit that aligned scattered enthusiasm into actionable proposals.

The approach delivered more than just project ideas—it cultivated consensus and practical buy-in, with dozens of proposals emerging to address business needs. Decision-makers left with a strong pipeline of data and AI initiatives, each evaluated on projected ROI and feasibility.

Leaders discovered immediate wins and longer-term opportunities, all rooted in a clear, shared understanding of what’s possible with data analytics and generative AI. The client’s commitment to education and structured collaboration not only increased creativity and engagement but also set the stage for future change management success.

Elder Research’s proven ability to channel scattered energy into unified, value-centric solutions continues to deliver lasting impact for clients.