Why Explaining Model Accuracy Before the Holidays Never Works?

The metric everyone trusts... incorrectly.

Author

Glenda Carnate
December 19, 2025

Read time: 2.5 minutes

Right before the holidays, accuracy becomes less of a metric and more of a misunderstanding that everyone feels confident discussing.

The slide says 92% accurate. Someone smiles. Someone else asks if that means the model is “basically right all the time.” You pause, sip your coffee, and begin explaining confidence intervals, edge cases, and why accuracy depends on context.

Heads nod. Time runs out. The meeting ends with relief, not clarity. Later, an email arrives asking why the model “got it wrong.” You reach for more coffee. The answer to how many it takes is no longer a number. It’s unlimited.

What Stakeholders Usually Mean (But Don’t Say)?

  • “Can I trust this number?”

  • “Will this break during peak season?”

  • “Who’s accountable when it’s wrong?”

  • “Can we explain this to leadership?”

Accuracy isn’t the question but risk is.

💡Key Takeaway: 

Model accuracy doesn’t fail… expectations do. And before the holidays, caffeine becomes the translation layer.

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