The A&O of Data - introduction

The A&O of Data - introduction

Data lakes turn to swamps. Investments in digitalization go sour. Data scientists are growing frustrated instead of growing business. Why the promise of data, the "new oil", appears to be beyond reach?

It is not for a lack of trying: executives are aware of the revolution led by data & AI & everything-else-digital. And not only aware - real money is spent. But results are mediocre or dismal at worst - with a few exceptional organizations that appear to crack the code somehow.

This series of blog posts is about cracking the code, about getting true value out of data & digitalization. No silver bullet is presented; repeating snappy statements like "treat data as an asset" does not provide answers.

Instead, serious contemplation is needed. A new way of looking at business is required. Disciplined management of interlinked actions - that goes across traditional borderlines of functions, processes, and systems - is a must to move "data as an asset" from an aspirational statement to reality.

  • The work starts with understanding the true nature of "data". Despite all hullabaloo around data, the role of data is still often subservient to information technology work. Data is seen as mere attributes and tables. Its nature as a complex set of dependencies between technology and business topics is downplayed or even disregarded.
  • Creating Alignment, a top-down activity, is the next step. The goals of an organization need to mirror its data. This reflection is not like a neatly expressed equation of reflections in wave physics, but rather a messy process involving anything from managerial sciences to technology until behavioristics.
  • Building Orchestration follows. It is a bottom-up activity, about maneuvering the capabilities of an organization around data in an orchestrated manner. These capabilities span functional and organizational borders, from data to business processes to information technology work.

The nexus of the A&O is where the magic happens. When there is true top-down alignment what data is needed for what purposes, and bottom-up orchestration of capabilities of managing the data amidst a set of system, process, and organizational silos, a future-proof data-centric organization is born. Business value is created. "Data Governance", "Process Governance", and "EA (Enterprise Architecture) Governance" all merge into "Orchestration Governance" - the core capability of tomorrow's winners.

In the next blog, I'll dive into the true nature of data and later continue to the details of Alignment and Orchestration.

//The author is a data management aficionado interested in life, businesses, societies, and the evolution of technologies. If you want to be sure to notice my next blog about Orchestration Governance in your LinkedIn stream, pls send me a private message or throw a comment on this post. I'll make sure to keep you updated. :)

Roberto Lichtenstein

Head of Global Master Data Domain at dormakaba

4 年

Great analysis, Kimmo. The meeting of top down vision and bottoms up orchestration is indeed a challenge not to be underestimated.

Vasily Suvorov

CTO, Board Member, Technology Strategy Adviser

4 年

Very good summary! I believe that "Datamesh" architectural pattern is helping to address most, if not all, of the challenges that you've outlined.

Juuso Autiosalo

Co-Founder at Twinbase

4 年

Data is valuable only if it can be used, so I would like to rephrase "treat data as an asset" into "treat data interfaces as assets". I think accessibility of data is currently a major problem.

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Kimmo Kontra的更多文章

  • Enterprise Transformations in 2025: Harnessing AI&Data and Surviving Complexity

    Enterprise Transformations in 2025: Harnessing AI&Data and Surviving Complexity

    I saw the future, at least a glimpse of it. The reality hit me while coding software – something I hadn't done in 26…

    8 条评论
  • Enterprise Narratives in Digital Transformations

    Enterprise Narratives in Digital Transformations

    "One Narrative to rule them all, One Narrative to align data and context, One Narrative to cross all boundaries, and in…

    5 条评论
  • From greenwashing to data-driven sustainability

    From greenwashing to data-driven sustainability

    The world is on the brink. The latest forecasts of the effects of climate change are alarming.

    10 条评论
  • Data is an asset? Or a "meta-asset"?

    Data is an asset? Or a "meta-asset"?

    Data is an asset. Data has measurable value.

    22 条评论
  • Data Quality - reimagined

    Data Quality - reimagined

    Arthur C. Clarke famously said 1962 that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".

    3 条评论
  • Three forces shaping Data Governance in 2023

    Three forces shaping Data Governance in 2023

    It is not a prophecy to argue that everything-about-data will stay high on the executive agenda in 2023. Neither does…

    4 条评论
  • Data Governance Redux

    Data Governance Redux

    Data Governance is broken. Different "forums" and "councils" start with excitement - and fade soon after.

  • Geopolitics and Data Governance

    Geopolitics and Data Governance

    What if Finland took her first cautious steps toward NATO in 1978? Sounds far-fetched, I know. Finland's NATO…

    2 条评论
  • Data Governance Safari

    Data Governance Safari

    "Data Governance" has sometimes slightly, often wildly, differing definitions. Ask three practitioners, and get three…

    8 条评论
  • Nuts and Bolts

    Nuts and Bolts

    Nuts and bolts - the basic components of physical products & machinery - may appear as non-AI, non-ML…

    11 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了