#24 Evan Shellshear: Why Many Data Science & AI Projects Fail

Make better business decisions with data and AI—subscribe to The Decision Intelligence Lab Newsletter at ⁠https://decisionintelligencelab.substack.com/⁠.In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab Podcast, Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson sit down with Evan Shellshear, Principal at BCGX (BCG’s technology innovation arm) and co-author of Why Data Science Projects Fail.Evan shares lessons from working on large-scale AI and optimization projects across industries like mining, supply chains, and retail, including a fascinating case study with Rio Tinto’s massive autonomous mining operation in Western Australia.The conversation dives into why most AI and data science projects fail, the critical role of organizational change, and how companies can move beyond “pilot purgatory” to deliver real business value from AI.Evan also explains BCG’s 70-20-10 rule for AI transformations, why executives should focus on value before technology, and how successful organizations redesign their operating models to fully leverage AI.If you work in data science, AI, operations research, or digital transformation, this episode offers practical insights from real-world deployments at a global scale.Chapters0:00 - Preview & Introduction0:48 - Meet Evan and BCGX's Overview3:09 - The Scale of Rio Tinto’s Mining Operations5:15 - Tackling Large-Scale Scheduling Problems7:04 - The 70-20-10 Rule of AI Projects11:30 - Combining Technical and Consulting Teams14:28 - Proving Business Value Before Building Tools17:36 - Escaping AI Pilot Purgatory20:40 - Deploy, Reshape, and Invent Framework22:45 - Balancing Speed and Transformation25:35 - Maintaining AI Systems Long Term28:48 - The Problem with Cheap Consulting31:41 - Building Better Algorithms When Value Is Clear33:44 - Retail Pricing Optimization Case Study38:38 - Book Recommendations and Closing ThoughtsFollow the showApple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-decision-intelligence-lab/id1811085064⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0lFoAVKqJHTYSZNpeN61ou?si=0ae973aab0174b3b⁠Connect with the guestEvan Shellshear: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshellshear/Connect with hostsProf. Vijay Mehrotra (University of San Francisco): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay-mehrotra-ba9498/⁠Prof. Michael Watson (Northwestern University): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-watson-07600a1⁠About the podcastThe Decision Intelligence Lab podcast delivers real-world insights for data professionals, business leaders, and anyone seeking to leverage data & AI for smarter decision-making & successful business outcomes.For business inquiries, email at ⁠[email protected]⁠