Data Diary - Chapter 1 - How a heat map sparked a data journey

It was back in 2014, on an ordinary day at a PR agency, an unexpected challenge reshaped forever the way I think, see and work with data.

It all started in a meeting where we were presented with the following task: to create a heat map for a client, identifying which stakeholders were closer or further from them, as well as assessing their level of relevance. This map would help the client make strategic decisions in an important process.

The next step was to assign a group of stakeholders to each person in the meeting, so we could conduct research that would allow the project to move forward.

Armed with a list of stakeholders, it was just me and Google, and our conversation began. I followed the trail – I had a few names to work with, so I started searching for information and “pulling the thread.” The results were so strong that, with my colleagues busy on other tasks, I became responsible for researching not just five but nearly 30 stakeholders, “inheriting” all the names discussed in the meeting.

I quickly became the sole point of contact for the project and started working directly on it with the board of directors above. This gave me a unique opportunity to learn from them and to understand how a seemingly disconnected group of data could transform into a chart with X and Y axes – proximity and relevance – resulting in a heat map that perfectly captured what the client needed.

Armed with nothing but an Excel spreadsheet and a PowerPoint presentation, we managed to organize the information, build the map, and deliver a clear, strategic visual solution that surprised and impressed the client.

We were all very satisfied: I had done many things in my career, but no project had ever been this engaging. That heat map planted and nurtured an important seed – my passion for using data to drive decision-making and improve business outcomes.

To be continued...