Don’t buy a pig in a poke: Considering challenges of and problems with performance analysis technologies in Swedish men’s elite football

Professional soccer practitioners’ perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment: A category 1 club case study

“…Similarly, a failure to understand why data is being collected and how it can be most effectively applied can prove detrimental to athlete-practitioner relationships [ 87 ]. To combat this all parties associated with athletes’ performance decisions should be acknowledged and consistently engaged with particularly regarding decisions about purchasing new technologies [ 28 ].…”

“…Accordingly, as evidenced in the results of the present study, without understanding the information provided practitioners will not be able to confidently modify their practices and players performance based on wearable-derived data. Furthermore, barriers to integration have been identified regarding how data is communicated effectively, thus comprising of the timing, frequency and length of feedback, and the approach taken to disseminate insights [ 87 ]. A prominent challenge faced is the appropriate interpretation of data and how decision making is consequently affected [ 89 ].…”

Identifying the characteristics, constraints, and enablers to creating value in applied performance analysis

“…Many authors in the sports domain have linked contextual intelligence—a thorough understanding of the needs and motivations of stakeholders—and the capacity to design a system which uses stakeholder terminology and language, to the success of subsequent knowledge translation, user understanding, and acceptance. 1,39–43 It is increasingly acknowledged that the second phase of knowledge co-creation, translation, is a key function of applied PAs; 1,6,14,44 however, there has been limited exploration within academic literature of how knowledge translation occurs effectively in applied PA contexts. 2 Rothwell and colleagues 40 posit that knowledge translation and integration are so important that practitioners should consider themselves as ‘ learning designers ’ 40 (p.60) , a perspective with which study participants strongly identified.…”

“…Data visualisation aside, there is little guidance specifically for applied PAs in the academic literature as to how to design and deliver context-appropriate learning opportunities for stakeholders, which is challenging given the rapidly evolving technological landscape. 41,45…”

“…Data visualisation aside, there is little guidance specifically for applied PAs in the academic literature as to how to design and deliver context-appropriate learning opportunities for stakeholders, which is challenging given the rapidly evolving technological landscape. 41,45 The 'How' of successful practice is the extent to which applied PAs develop relationships, credibility, and contextual intelligence through their self-and service management while embedded in the performance ecosystem. The concept of embeddedness has not previously been named in research relating to applied PA practice but is clearly evident in many accounts of practice spanning the past 20 years.…”