This series was pulled together as an independent effort to share some knowledge, generate some ideas, and try to help out. When I did a recent training course I started it sharing the guidance I was given by a former senior leader of mine. He said that there are two kinds of people these days: (1) People who want to hear themselves talk; (2) People who have something good to say. He challenged me to do both.
This series was intended to do that, I will probably continue to post but this was meant to bring things forward in a united form. It wasn't meant to promote what Alation, my current employer is pushing but my personal reflections. The House of Data and the related white papers are from personal doctoral and post-doctoral research I have performed. This note is sharing links to the materials I previously shared and documented.
Before I share those things there are three main points I want to convey (Soap Box Time):
- Data Matters & Believe in Data: I started my doctoral dissertation with the two words "Data Matters." It moved me past the blank page, and it is something I truly believe in from my first use of a Retail Zip Code Survey in the late 1980's to the use of Pendo or Alation Px data together. Data can do so much if we let it. I truly believe in data, (my Ted Lasso moment). I have seen first hand when firms make a real difference by using data in the right way and getting everyone in an organization to reap the benefits. We shouldn't be talking about "Data Culture" today, but what's next. If your organization isn't using data effectively then perhaps it is time for new leadership. There I said it.
- The Data Governance argument: Just stop it. No-one needs to win an argument in 2023 that Data Governance is important, it's like saying that being able to do basic math is important to accountancy. Too often we burn cycles trying to convince people that data governance is important, while it is a set of capabilities we need to build into our data program. I will let others debate if you should have a fully baked out data strategy document. I recommend a pitch, vision, mission, and roadmap is enough (5 slides).? I also argue, after being convinced by John Ladley that data should be part of your organization's corporate strategy. You don't need a ton in your corporate strategy but have the base (A couple of bullets), and then align data into all corporate initiatives. If your organization isn't building data into its organizational strategy, then again it is probably time for new leadership. This is straightforward, talk to your leaders in plain speak not data speak and they will get it and make it happen. Do it.
- Promotion and People: Remember people are the keys to a successful anything. While everyone wants to talk about AI today, and too many think there is some great blue button that will make it all happen, it just doesn't work that way. You need to bring people together, have a vision that is shared, and work together for success. As you are rolling out data initiatives, capabilities, etc. promote successes, real successes. Don't give kudo's for just doing a task, but promote the positive ROI and the success of activities aligned to the vision to both re-share the vision and give credit where credit is due. I would strongly recommend doing two things in this promotion and people side of things. Taking the time to reach out to someone and say "Thank You" not in some silly Kudo's channel but a heartfelt personal thank you that you have done a great job. It matters. In my youth coaching I remember the small number of kids who took the time (probably under their parents urging) to give me a simple thank you note. It matters, again. Do the public thing but take the time to do the personal thing. This shows outstanding leadership and sticks with the person who receives it for years. The other thing you must do is to continue to sell the data program, sell, sell, sell.? This promotion of the data program through a state-of-data, regular communication, or formal marketing makes all the difference in the world.
With that, I will share a set of resources that you might find valuable, some of them you have to download from Alation, but they all have great value and aren't commercials for Alation but shared content to use:
House of Data White Papers:
Blogcast on House of Data:
Feedback from Data Governance for Dummies Webinar:
Master Data Management (MDM) | Data Governance (DG)
1 年Nice Jim! How are you?
Data Cloud Professional by Day ?? Storyteller by Night ??
1 年There are so many buttons and such little time! Thanks, Jim Barker, for teaching us the importance of data governance and making it fun!
Customer Marketing Manager | Customer Advocacy Manager | Case Study Writer: Making Customers the Hero of Their Story | Adept at using AI tools to turbocharge the writing process | Curious Lifelong Learner
1 年Let me be the first (in this post anyway) to THANK YOU For being such a fantastic (dare I say fun?) advocate for data governance. Thanks to you and your message, our customers no longer try to couch data governance under some other innocuous term. That's because you've let folks know that implementing DG isn't something to be feared. Respected and done thoughtfully and intelligently, yes, feared, no, because there are tools and solutions like Alation (and people like you) that light the pathway to intelligent, active, people-first data governance. Bravo, and thank you, Jim!