--- title: How to stop navigating with the rear-view mirror description: The Gartner Analytics Maturity Model will help FP&A teams move from low-value number crunching to high-value strategic partners that drive the business. image: https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/gartner%20graphic%202.png --- ![](https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/header-logo.png?width=98&name=header-logo.png) - [ Resources ](https://www.jirav.com/resources) - Menu / Resources - [Resource Center ](https://www.jirav.com/resources) Blogs and resources on all things finance, FP&A, and Jirav [Webinars ](https://www.jirav.com/webinars) Learn more about Jirav and FP&A from industry experts [Events ](https://www.jirav.com/events) See our upcoming calendar of events [Help Center ](https://help.jirav.com/) Guide on how to use Jirav - [ Company ](https://www.jirav.com/company) - Menu / Company - [About ](https://www.jirav.com/company) Learn about Jirav’s story and meet our leadership team [News Coverage ](https://www.jirav.com/news) See the latest news and highlights [Press ](https://www.jirav.com/press-releases) Recent company announcements and updates [Careers ](https://www.jirav.com/careers) View current job openings and learn how to join the Jirav Tower ![business_env](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/business_env.svg) [ For Businesses ](https://www.jirav.com/reporting-planning-purpose-built-for-businesses) ![accounting_calc](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/accounting_calc.svg) [ For Accounting & CFO Firms ](https://www.jirav.com/reporting-planning-purpose-built-for-accounting-cfo-advisory-firms) [ Get a Demo ](https://www.jirav.com/request-demo) [ Sign in ](https://app.jirav.com/) ![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/April2021/images/banner-shap.png) BLOG # How to stop navigating with the rear-view mirror [![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/April2021/images/fb-icon.png) ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-stop-navigating-with-the-rear-view-mirror/) [![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/April2021/images/tw-icon.png) ](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-stop-navigating-with-the-rear-view-mirror/) [![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/April2021/images/in-icon.png) ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-stop-navigating-with-the-rear-view-mirror/&summary=&source=CeBIT) 1 minute read ![gartner graphic 2.png](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/gartner%20graphic%202.png) ### Financial planning & analysis transformation: the crucial shift from descriptive to prescriptive FP&A is great when it comes to setting targets for other teams—think budgets, sales quotas, revenue goals etc. But the very team responsible for measuring performance across the organization often lacks structure when it comes to evaluating their own impact. FP&A teams must move away from low-value number crunching to become high-value strategic partners that drive the business.    The following will help teams understand the right level of analytics you can provide for your organizations, as well as other insights gleaned from our Webinar on "[The 4 Questions to Ask for your Finance Team](https://www.jirav.com/blog/4-questions-to-ask-in-2018)" and "[How to Stop Navigating from the Rear-View Mirror](https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-stop-navigating-with-the-rear-view-mirror)."   Understanding your analytics maturity *![gartner graphic 2.png](https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gartner%20graphic%202.png?width=848&height=460&name=gartner%20graphic%202.png)* *The **Gartner Data Analytics Maturity Model* is comprised of four stages which are defined by the simple questions asked in reference to the data:   | **1. Descriptive** | **2. Diagnostic** | | --- | --- | | What happened? | Why did it happen? | | - Historical-only reports - Trend charts - Rear-facing metrics | - Variance reporting - Static budget vs. actual |   | **3. Predictive** | **4. Prescriptive** | | --- | --- | | What will happen? | How can we make it happen? | | - Rolling forecasting with real-time data - Scenario planning | - Optimizing for actions that result in revenue growth - Model/bottom up thinking - Scalable business drivers |   The framework is most effective when it’s applied to an event that is representative of an entire team effort such as a quarterly board presentation:    - Was the board satisfied with our explanation of **what happened?** - Do they agree with our reasoning of **why it happened? ** - Do they clearly understand **what ****will**** happen?** - Are they convinced we know **how to make it happen?**   ### Becoming a high-value strategic partner in your business ![blog post graphic 2.png](https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog%20post%20graphic%202.png?width=848&height=460&name=blog%20post%20graphic%202.png) ![blog quote.png](https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog%20quote.png?width=300&name=blog%20quote.png)Without prescriptive analytics you’re navigating with the rear-view mirror—you won’t be able to accurately predict the future or determine how to reach the goals of your business. It’s crucial to reflect on where your organization lies and begin strategizing how to move from low-value number crunching to high-value strategic partners that drive the business. ![Martin Zych](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/2e2cbf92df5fe9f086d027f7e1e34456) ##### Martin Zych Martin is the CEO of Jirav. Published January 30, 2018 ###### Related topics - [Finance and fp&a](https://www.jirav.com/blog/topic/finance-and-fpa) ## Related blog posts ![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/blog/blog-4-steps-to-eliminate-the-fp-and-a-fear-factor-feature.png) Finance and fp&a #### 4 steps to eliminate the FP&A “fear factor” [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/4-steps-to-eliminate-the-fpa-fear-factor) ![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/How%20to%20Price%20FP%26A%20Advisory%20Services.png) Finance and fp&a #### How to Price FP&A Advisory Services: A Framework for Accounting Firms [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-price-fpa-advisory-services-a-framework-for-accounting-firms) ![Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/joshua-earle-lKkD6DY7FVw-unsplash.jpg) Finance and fp&a #### Making the leap from CPA to CFO with financial forecasting [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/cpa-to-cfo-with-financial-forecasting) ![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/blog/blog-financial-dashboard-better-decision-making-resource.png) Finance and fp&a #### How to improve decision making with a financial dashboard [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-improve-decision-making-with-a-financial-dashboard) ![Data Analytics Maturity Model: Featured Image](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/fabio-oyXis2kALVg-unsplash.jpg) Finance and fp&a #### Data analytics maturity models [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/data-analytics-maturity-models) ![winter-g2-reports-best-results-jirav-badge](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/blog/blog-accountingdepartmentcom-case-study-feature.png) Finance and fp&a #### How AccountingDepartment.com leveraged Jirav to deliver more strategic, high-value advisory services [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/accounting-department-com-case-study) ![](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/BlogC-Rolling-Forecasts_01-Title-V1-cream.png) Finance and fp&a #### The Essential Guide to Rolling Forecasts [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/the-essential-guide-to-rolling-forecasts) ![man-using-financial-forecasting-software](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/blog/blog-what-to-look-for-financial-forecasting-software-feature.png) Finance and fp&a #### What to look for in financial forecasting software [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/what-to-look-for-in-financial-forecasting-software) ![man-advising-client-on-fp&a-reports-on-ipad](https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/blog/blog-using-fpa-reports-for-advisory-feature.png) Finance and fp&a #### Using FP&A reports to provide higher-value advisory services [ Read more ](https://www.jirav.com/blog/using-fpa-reports-to-provide-higher-value-advisory-services) [Load more](##) ## Let’s get started! [ Request a demo ](https://www.jirav.com/request-demo) ![](https://ws.zoominfo.com/pixel/GayWM7nWYSEC9X3nq2tn) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Martin Zych", "url" : "https://www.jirav.com/blog/author/martin-zych" }, "dateModified" : "2025-05-13T00:38:50.102Z", "datePublished" : "2018-01-30T15:05:00.000Z", "headline" : "How to stop navigating with the rear-view mirror", "image" : [ "https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/gartner%20graphic%202.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.jirav.com/blog/how-to-stop-navigating-with-the-rear-view-mirror", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.jirav.com/hubfs/Jirav%20Logo%20-%20176x75%20(small%20logo).png" }, "name" : "Jirav" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://www.schema.org", "@type" : "AccountingService", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "San Francisco", "addressRegion" : "CA", "postalCode" : "94102", "streetAddress" : "25 Taylor Street" }, "description" : "Jirav is a business planning software powering financial planning and analysis in the cloud with all-in-one forecasts, budgets, reports, and dashboards", "geo" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "37.782585", "longitude" : "-122.411255" }, "image" : "https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jirav_SitePageAssets_Feb2018/Jirav%20Logo%20for%20top%20nav.png?width=1200&height=510&name=Jirav%20Logo%20for%20top%20nav.png", "logo" : "https://www.jirav.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jirav_SitePageAssets_Feb2018/Jirav%20Logo%20for%20top%20nav.png?width=1200&height=510&name=Jirav%20Logo%20for%20top%20nav.png", "name" : "Jirav", "openingHours" : "Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr 09:00-17:00", "priceRange" : "$100/month-$750/month", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.instagram.com/gojirav/", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/jirav/", "https://twitter.com/GoJirav", "https://www.facebook.com/GoJirav/" ], "url" : "https://www.jirav.com/" } ```