Data Wins in Sports - What Can We Learn for Our Work and Personal Life?

Watching England thrash France in this afternoon's Six Nations match, it was interesting to hear the commentators discuss England's attention to data as a measure of performance throughout a match.

Data requirements like:

"Getting back on your feet within x number of seconds after making a tackle (otherwise you get a black mark against your name)"

"Advancing after a kick to defend within x number of seconds"

Etc

Such metrics will be drilled into players throughout the training and preparation for each match. All players will be clear on the metrics. Failure to follow them in the match and to deliver will mean that you will be reprimanded or pulled off the match and subbed.

It all sounds a little too formal. Not much like a game. But the data rarely lies. Plus it leaves little room for favouritism.

And more importantly, look at the results. England were in a different league to France today.

I am sure that France follow similar data-driven approaches to preparing for their matches but in this war of data, there was one clear winner.

So this brings us to how one team can perform so markedly better?

It is all about:

1. defining what data to track?
2. understanding what measurements to track this data against?

For example, how many seconds should it take a defender to get back on their feet and to re-engage in a typical game? Should this measurement adjust as the match goes on and fatigue starts to set in?

The data war in sports. It evidently works.

How much are we ignoring the power of data in our work and personal lives?

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