Title: What's the value of anecdotal evidence? - Christopher S. Penn - Marketing Data Science Keynote Speaker
Headings: What’s the value of anecdotal evidence?
What’s the value of anecdotal evidence?
Should we promptly dispose of all anecdotal evidence?

Content: Anecdotal evidence is none of those things. It’s one person’s experience, so it’s not representative. Depending on that individual’s perspective and biases, it may not be reliable. Its very nature as an anecdote means that collecting similar information under similar circumstances is not repeatable. Even anecdotal evidence in aggregate is still not reliable. My friend and colleague Tom Webster often says, “the plural of anecdote is not data”. Should we promptly dispose of all anecdotal evidence? In a word, no. Anecdotal evidence (we assume it’s truthful) is a form of qualitative data. It’s not a measurement of anything, but its very existence tells us that at least one person has perceived something to be true.