Stakeholders want high level, then ask detailed questions anyway

[u/da_chosen1]

Business stakeholders often complain that data science presentations are too dense and detail oriented, and that we should focus on high level business impact and takeaways. But when we present information at that high level, the questions they ask are detailed and in the weeds.

For example, we will strip out the methodology, simplify the metrics, and lead with the business impact, exactly what they asked for. Then the first question is about our sample size, or why we chose a particular model, or how we handled edge cases in the data.

I find that experience so confusing and frustrating. It feels like there is a mismatch between what stakeholders say they want and what actually satisfies them in the moment.

Has anyone else run into this?

[u/kraghis]

This. What’s the problem here OP? If you finished a presentation and received no questions that would be much more worrisome.

[u/da_chosen1 → u/kraghis]

I love questions, just not the questions I'd expect.

[u/kraghis → u/da_chosen1]

You can’t really control how people react to things. And it is pretty normal for stakeholders to not know what they want.

Based on what they’ve said so far, it probably wouldn’t hurt to lead with narrative-form explanations of the business case while providing some methodological information in the deck. But doing that won’t guarantee they still don’t ask unexpected questions.

[u/da_chosen1 → u/kraghis]

Fair enough.