Insight transformation

Customer & Market Insight has the potential to transform any organisation, however most Research and Analysis teams were originally set up as reactive service providers. If we want Insight to transform our organisations, we first have to transform our Insight teams. In this section we introduce the topics of transforming Insight and the Insight playbook.

Click on the tiles below to access all of our best practice guides, summaries and videos.

Many of these topics are also discussed on the Transforming Insight podcast (see episodes 4, 8, 14, 18, 22, 27, 33 & 34).

Return to the online library homepage for information about online access, or to view all topics.

Insight transformation guides and videos

Transforming Insight - guide

IMP001: This Insight leader guide talks about three major developments that have created opportunities for Insight teams, and it introduces 4 key aspects and 8 best practice territories that Insight leaders and teams can use on their journey to Insight transformation

Leading Insight - guide

IMP002: (September 2022 Insight forum topic). This Insight leader guide discusses the importance of entrepreneurial leadership and introduces the Insight playbook - aimed at helping Insight leaders to develop and share ideas for managing and transforming our teams

Insight playbook template - guide

IMP003: In this section we provide Insight leaders with a template for the IMA's Insight playbook; a concept which we introduced in our Leading Insight guides and videos.

AI's impact on Insight management - guide

IMP006 (July & Sept 2023 Insight forum) The conversation around adoption of generative AI is hard to avoid. But what are the threats and opportunities for Insight teams, and how will it affect our strategic thinking about each of the Insight management territories?

Shape of Insight - guide

IMP007 (November 2022 Insight forum). The IMA believes that 3 key changes have impacted on Insight in recent years, and Insight teams have adapted and evolved accordingly. This short guide summarises the key highlights from a recent IMA 'Shape of Insight' survey.

AI essentials for Insight management - guide

IMP020: AI is a game changer for Insight teams, and many IMA members are already using it effectively, so what are some of the key things we need to think about if we want to get started on our own AI journeys?

Transforming Insight - summary

IMS001: This 1-page summary highlights three major developments that have created opportunities for Insight teams, and it introduces 4 key aspects and 8 best practice territories that Insight leaders and teams can use on their journey to Insight transformation

Leading Insight - summary

IMS002: (September 2022 Insight forum topic). This 1-page summary discusses the importance of entrepreneurial leadership and introduces the Insight playbook - aimed at helping Insight leaders to develop and share ideas for managing and transforming our teams

Achievements & ambitions - summary

IMS004: (January 2023 Insight forum). We highlight how important it is for Insight leaders to reflect on their achievements and ambitions for transforming Insight at the start of each new year and present the 9Ps from the Insight playbook as a tool for structuring our thinking.

Essential Insight analysis - summary

IMS005 (May 2023 Insight forum) In recent years we've seen a huge rise in the amount of customer and market data available to our organisations, but how well have we developed and deployed our analysis capability for Insight?

AI's impact on Insight management - summary

IMS006 (July & Sept 2023 Insight forum) The conversation around adoption of generative AI is hard to avoid. But what are the threats and opportunities for Insight teams, and how will it affect our strategic thinking about each of the Insight management territories?

The shape of our Insight teams - summary

IMS007 (January 2024 Insight forum) As Insight leaders, we all need a sense of distance and perspective to really embrace Insight transformation. If we were to zoom up to 10,000 feet, can we honestly say that our team looks the way that we want it to?

Defining our Insight team's purpose - summary

IMS008 (January 2024 Insight forum) In this summary we discuss the first P of the Insight playbook - Purpose - and highlight the importance of Insight leaders documenting and developing ideas around why the team exists and what our vision and mission will be.

Improving our Insight team's profile - summary

IMS009 (February 2024 Insight forum) In this 1-page summary, we outline the second P of the Insight playbook - Profile - and remind Insight leaders that it’s how the rest of the organisation sees us that will determine in large part whether we succeed or not.

Working with our Insight team's partners - summary

IMS010 (May 2024 Insight forum) In this summary, we discuss the 4th P in the Insight leaders playbook - Partners - and highlight some key business relationships to consider.

Our Insight products and how we package them - summary

IMS011 (June 2024 Insight forum) In this summary, we discuss the 5th P in the Insight leaders' playbook: Products, and the importance of reviewing our team outputs on a regular basis.

Prioritising essential business issues - summary

IMS012 (July 2024 Insight forum). As Insight leaders, it's important to reflect on how we can be more proactive when it comes to deciding which projects our Insight team works on. In this summary we focus on the 6th P of the Insight leader's playbook: Prioritisation.

Improving efficiency in our Insight teams - summary

IMS013 (July 2024 Insight forum). The effectiveness of an Insight team relies on the HOW as well as the WHAT. In this 1-page summary we discuss 8 of the most common efficiency pain points for Insight teams.

Perfecting our Insight teams' key processes - summary

IMS014 (September 2024 Insight forum). In this summary we focus on the 7th P of the Insight leader's playbook: Process and suggest that Insight teams need to think about how to effectively crystalise best practice and the way things are done.

Navigating the process adoption gap - summary

IMS015 (September 2024 Insight forum). In this summary, we talk about how to navigate the process adoption gap in our Insight teams, by using behaviour change models.

Measuring our Insight team's performance - summary

IMS016 (October 2024 Insight forum): In this summary, we discuss the importance of measuring an Insight team's performance, both from the point of view of enabling us to look back and also plan forward.

Investing in our Insight assets - summary

IMS017 (October 2024 Insight forum): In this summary, we discuss the importance of judging our Insight team's success by the outputs but also the inputs which build critical assets to deliver year after year.

Planning to be a transformational Insight leader - summary

IMS018 (November 2024 Insight forum) In this summary, we highlight the importance of developing a personal plan, and managing our own time and energy effectively, in order to be transformational leaders.

The habits of transformational Insight leaders - summary

IMS019 (November 2024 Insight forum). In this summary, we highlight the importance of Insight leaders using habits as part of our daily disciplines to help us change our behaviours and become more transformational leaders.

AI essentials for Insight management - summary

IMS020: AI is a game changer for Insight teams, and many IMA members are already using it effectively, so what are some of the key things we need to think about if we want to get started on our own AI journeys?

Connecting the dots - summary

IMS021 (May 2025 Insight forum). In this 1-page summary, we discuss how Insight teams can successfully connect the dots across different Insight sources, to deliver big picture insights and enhance our stakeholders' understanding of organisational performance.

Transforming Insight - video

IMV001: In this video, James Wycherley discusses three major developments that have created opportunities for Insight teams, and he introduces 4 key aspects and 8 best practice territories that Insight leaders and teams can use on their journey to Insight transformation

Leading Insight - video

IMV002: (September 2022 Insight forum topic). In this video, James Wycherley discusses the importance of entrepreneurial leadership and he introduces the Insight playbook - aimed at helping Insight leaders to develop and share ideas for managing and transforming our teams

Achievements & ambitions for Insight - video

IMV004: (January 2023 Insight forum). James Wycherley discusses how important it is for Insight leaders to reflect on their achievements and ambitions for transforming Insight at the start of each new year and present the 9Ps from the Insight playbook as a tool for structuring our thinking.

Essential Insight analysis - video

IMV005 (May 2023 Insight forum) In recent years we've seen a huge rise in the amount of customer and market data available to our organisations, but how well have we developed and deployed our analysis capability for Insight?

AI's impact on Insight management - video

IMV006 (Jul & Sept 2023 Insight forums) The conversation around adoption of generative AI is hard to avoid these days. But what are the threats and opportunities for Insight teams, and how will it affect our strategic thinking about each of the Insight management territories?

The shape of our Insight teams - video

IMV007 (January 2024 Insight forum) As Insight leaders, we all need a sense of distance and perspective to really embrace Insight transformation. If we were to zoom up to 10,000 feet, can we honestly say that our team looks the way that we want it to?

Defining our Insight team's purpose - video

IMV008 (January 2024 Insight forum) In this video, James Wycherley discusses the first P of the Insight playbook - Purpose - and talks about the importance of Insight leaders documenting and developing ideas around why the team exists and what our vision and mission will be.

Improving our Insight team's profile - video

IMV009 (February 2024 Insight forum) In this video, James Wycherley outlines the second P of the Insight playbook - Profile - and reminds Insight leaders that it’s how the rest of the organisation sees us that will determine in large part whether we succeed or not.

Working with our Insight team's partners - video

IMV010 (May 2024 Insight forum) In this video, James Wycherley discusses the 4th P in the Insight leader's playbook - Partners - and highlights six key business relationships to consider.

Our Insight products and how we package them - video

IMV011 (June 2024 Insight forum) In this video, James Wycherley discusses the 5th P in the Insight leaders' playbook: Products, and the importance of reviewing our team outputs on a regular basis.

Prioritising essential business issues - video

IMV012 (July 2024 Insight forum). As Insight leaders, it's important to reflect on how we can be more proactive when it comes to deciding which projects our Insight team works on. In this video we focus on the 6th P of the Insight leader's playbook: Prioritisation.

Improving efficiency in our Insight teams - video

IMV013 (July 2024 Insight forum). The effectiveness of an Insight team relies on the HOW as well as the WHAT. In this video we discuss 8 of the most common efficiency pain points for Insight teams.

Perfecting our Insight teams' key processes - video

IMV014 (September 2024 Insight forum) In this video, James Wycherley discusses the 7th P of the Insight leader's playbook: Process and suggests that Insight teams need to think about how to effectively crystalise best practice and the way things are done.

Navigating the process adoption gap - video

IMV015 (September 2024 Insight forum). In this video, Jane Woolley talks about how to navigate the process adoption gap in our Insight teams, by using behaviour change models.

Measuring our Insight team's performance - video

IMV016 (October 2024 Insight forum): In this video, James Wycherley discusses the importance of measuring an Insight team's performance, both in terms of enabling us to look back and plan forward.

Investing in our Insight assets - video

IMV017 (October 2024 Insight forum): In this video, James Wycherley discusses the importance of judging our Insight team's success by both the outputs AND the inputs which build critical assets to deliver year after year.

Planning to be a transformational Insight leader - video

IMV018 (November 2024 Insight forum). In this video James Wycherley discusses the importance of developing a personal plan, and managing our own time and energy effectively, in order to be transformational leaders.

The habits of transformational Insight leaders - video

IMV019 (November 2024 Insight forum). In this video, James Wycherley discusses the importance of Insight leaders using habits in our daily disciplines to help us change behaviours and become more transformational leaders.

Connecting the dots - video

IMV021 (May 2025 Insight forum). In this video, Christine Stoddart discusses how Insight teams can successfully connect the dots across different Insight sources, to deliver big picture insights and enhance our stakeholders' understanding of organisational performance.