What do you do if your data architecture team lacks effective communication skills?

1 Identify the root causes

To address communication issues in your data architecture team, the first step is to identify the root causes of the problem. These can include a lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities, conflicting or misaligned expectations and goals, different communication styles and preferences, cultural or language barriers, and low trust or respect among team members. To diagnose the communication issues, you can use surveys, interviews, feedback sessions or observation. However, it's important to be honest, open and respectful while avoiding blaming or criticizing anyone.

2 Establish communication norms

The second step to improve communication in your data architecture team is to establish communication norms that define how, when, and what to communicate. These norms are the rules and guidelines that help team members communicate effectively and efficiently. For example, you can agree on the communication channels and tools to use for various purposes and audiences, set regular and clear communication schedules and agendas, define the communication roles and expectations for each team member, use common terminology and standards for data architecture documentation and artifacts, and provide constructive and timely feedback and recognition. To create these norms, involve your team members in the process by getting their input and buy-in. Additionally, review and update them periodically to ensure they remain relevant and useful.

3 Build communication skills

The third step to enhance communication in your data architecture team is to build communication skills that enable team members to communicate clearly, confidently, and respectfully. Communication skills are the abilities and behaviors that help team members convey and receive information effectively, such as active listening and questioning, paraphrasing and summarizing, empathy and emotional intelligence, persuasion and negotiation, and presentation and storytelling. To help your team members develop these skills, you can provide training, coaching, mentoring, or peer learning opportunities. Additionally, you can encourage them to practice their skills in real situations and seek feedback for improvement.

5 Monitor and evaluate communication

The fifth step to optimize communication in your data architecture team is to monitor and evaluate communication processes and results. This involves measuring and assessing how well team members communicate and how communication impacts the team's performance and satisfaction. Examples of communication metrics and indicators include communication frequency and quality, satisfaction and engagement, errors and issues, outcomes and benefits, as well as best practices and lessons learned. To monitor and evaluate communication, you can use various tools and methods such as surveys, metrics, dashboards, or reports. Doing so will help you identify communication strengths and weaknesses, so that you can implement improvements to enhance communication.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?