Ask a Question and Use Data as a Tool

So many businesses have data backwards. They'll gather, organize, and try to visualize all of the inputs their business has.

They'll pour money into a giant pit, hoping that money transforms into a 10x return of gold bars that they can leave buried until they need it. And that's just not how data works.

This habit does make companies like Snowflake happy though.

p.s. No hate towards Snowflake, it's a great tool. Businesses just get greedy and lazy with their data when they use it.

Data is more like a wise old friend. A friend that you should have an active relationship with. A friend that you ask a question to and they give you an insightful and guiding answer because they know a lot about you. And you wouldn't interact with a wise old friend by throwing your money at them and hoping they magically solve all your problems and provide you the guidance you need.

So how do you make data your wise old friend?

You ask questions.

The more specific and contextual the question, the better the answer. Sometimes that answer will be "I'm not sure what you should do."

But if you've treated your friend well and nurtured your relationship over time, you'll get an insightful answer the can change your trajectory for the better.

Don't build dashboards with answering a specific and critical question.

This is as simple as it sounds. If you don't want to waste money on dashboards you'll never use, think of the critical problems and questions you have.

Then use those to guide your dashboard development and data usage.

It'll help you prevent an explosion in your cloud spend and leave you with a better taste in your mouth when you hear the word "data"