How do you foster a data-driven culture and mindset in your BRM team and organization?

1 What are data and information literacy skills?

Data and information literacy skills are the abilities to find, evaluate, use, and communicate data and information in various contexts and formats. They involve critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical awareness, as well as technical skills such as data collection, analysis, visualization, and presentation. Data and information literacy skills are not only relevant for data scientists or analysts, but for anyone who needs to make informed decisions based on evidence and facts.

2 Why are they important for BRMs?

BRMs are strategic partners who bridge the gap between business and IT, and who facilitate value creation and co-creation across the organization. To do this effectively, BRMs need to have a clear understanding of the business needs, goals, and challenges, as well as the IT capabilities, solutions, and opportunities. Data and information literacy skills can help BRMs assess the current state and performance of the business and IT functions, define and measure the value of IT investments and initiatives, identify and prioritize the business requirements and expectations, monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of the IT solutions and services, innovate and collaborate with the business and IT stakeholders, and leverage data and information to generate new ideas and insights. This will enable them to identify gaps and areas for improvement, communicate the value proposition and benefits to the business stakeholders, translate the business requirements into IT solutions and services, provide feedback and recommendations for continuous improvement, and generate new ideas and insights.

3 How can you develop and apply them in your BRM role?

Developing and applying data and information literacy skills in your BRM role can be done in various ways, depending on your level of expertise, interest, and resources. To get started, you should learn the fundamentals of data and information literacy, such as the data lifecycle, the types and sources of data, the methods and tools of data analysis and visualization, and the principles and practices of data quality, security, and ethics. Additionally, you should explore the data and information available in your organization, and identify the data and information needs and gaps of your business and IT stakeholders. Collect, analyze, and visualize the data and information that can help answer those questions, metrics, and indicators, and communicate and present the data and information to your business and IT stakeholders. Finally, review and update the data and information regularly, and use them to improve your BRM practices and outcomes.

4 What are the benefits of having data and information literacy skills?

Having data and information literacy skills can bring many benefits to your BRM role, such as enhancing credibility and trustworthiness, improving efficiency and effectiveness, increasing confidence and competence, enabling adaptation and response to changing business and IT environments, and empowering the fostering of a data-driven culture and mindset. These skills can help build stronger relationships with business and IT stakeholders, deliver better value and results to the organization, expand knowledge and skills in the data and information domain, seize new opportunities and challenges, and promote the value and use of data and information across the organization.

5 How can you learn more about data and information literacy skills?

If you want to learn more about data and information literacy skills and how to apply them in your BRM role, there are many resources and opportunities available. For example, you can take online courses and webinars, such as those offered by Coursera, edX, Udemy, and BRM Institute. Additionally, there are books and articles, such as Data Literacy Fundamentals by Ben Jones, Data Literacy for Everyone by Jordan Morrow, and Data-Driven Business Relationship Management by Vaughan Merlyn, that provide insights and guidance. You can also join communities and networks, such as BRM Connect, Data Literacy Project, and Data for Good, to connect with other BRMs and data and information professionals. Finally, you can find mentors and coaches , such as your peers, managers, or external experts, to help you develop and apply data and information literacy skills in your BRM role.