The First 5 Steps to Take to Become a Measurement Sherpa

This article is part of The Measurement Advisor’s Special Issue on the Measurement Sherpa, an in-house data wrangler and measurement resource who organizes, queries, and gains insight from data. Our coverage follows the development of a Sherpa’s skill and experience, from newbie to pro, and is organized in three levels:

Sherpa Level One: Getting Out of Base Camp

• Introducing the Measurement Sherpa
• 10 Signs That You Need to Hire a Measurement Sherpa
• 5 Reasons Why You Really Want to Become a Measurement Sherpa
• The First 5 Steps to Take to Become a Measurement Sherpa
• Learning on the Job: Notes from a Sherpa-in-Training

Sherpa Level Two: Climbing the Mountain

• Must-have Equipment for a Measurement Sherpa
• Commonly Confused PR and Social Media Measurement Terms
• 6 Books That Should be in Every Measurement Sherpa’s Library
• Katie Paine’s Advice for Measurement Sherpas: Dos and Don’ts for Reporting Web and Social Media Analytics

Sherpa Level Three: Peak Operations

• Matt Clement: Fort Worth’s Sherpa
• Lisa Binzel: Measurement Evangelist
• How to Get the Best from Your Measurement Sherpa
• Mastering the 6 Projects a Measurement Sherpa Must Know How to Do, including as separate articles:
  • Measurement Sherpa Skills: 4 Steps to Budget for a Measurement Project
  • 6 Keys to Managing an RFP Process 

Whether you’re at an agency or a company, a nonprofit or a conglomerate, here are some tips guaranteed to get you on the way to becoming a Sherpa and climbing to the top of Measurement Mountain.
1. Get comfortable with the topic.

• Read at least three of the six books recommended for Sherpas.
• Take our Measurement 101 course.

2. Research the research in your organization.

• Find out what research is under way, understand it, know it, and look hard at the data.
• Look around for a report about which other people have said, “I don’t get it,” or “What does this mean?” Dig into the data and add your own insight.

3. Find a pilot project to test your skills.

• Find a project, launch, campaign, or event that can test your measurement acumen. Something that is measurable, not too far down the road, and can be done quickly with little investment.

4. Take a report and rewrite it so it’s better.

5. Do an internship for a measurement company. 

• It may not pay a lot, but most measurement and research firms have an internship program. Try out the environment and see if you like it. If you do, you’re on your way to Sherpadom.

∞

(Thanks to http://patevoditel.eu/ for the image.)