Time to Insight (TTI). What are the challenges not technology related ?.

Time to Insight (TTI).?What are the challenges not technology related ?.?Post 1/5

The role of data in enterprises’ digital transformation is at the center of most discussions since Covid-19 pandemic.

I have spent innumerable conversations with CDOs, CTOs, Partners, data analysts and data engineers talking about data engineering and how to maximize the use of technology platforms.

However, it is my view that we have not yet sufficiently addressed the topics that are key to transform the data sets in timely decision making by business owners; and how decision makers adopt these insight indicators to govern business processes.

With these post’s series I aim to offer a point of view to the questions that are helping Microsoft clients to accelerate the production of actionable insights for their businesses.

Time to Insight (TTI) measures how quickly data transforms into actionable business actions.

Time to Insight (TTI) represents a KPI that must be monitor and analyzed, not as a data only KPI but as an indicator of business agility with its corresponding ROI. The investments made in technological platforms to produce, transform, store, and expose data are multimillionaire. It is mandatory now to harvest the contribution and impact of this investment in real time.

To offer my reflections on Time to Insight (TTI), I propose to address the following five pillars, which are key to TTI:

1.???Leadership

2.???Simplification

3.???Re-Skilling

4.???Trade offs

5.???Functions alignment

Let us talk about Leadership.

We need to answer continually simple but some of key questions to keep track of the level of data adoption as a strategic lever in the organizations are: ?

• The CEO and his/her direct leadership team adopt Time to Insight (TTI) as an indicator of digital transformation?
• Do they make decisions based upon timely insights?
• The data and insights produced and analyzed are in alignment with key business priorities?
• Are leaders asking the true key questions that need to guide the data analysis?

Harvard Business Review proposes a framework ( Use Data to Answer Your Key Business Questions) to focus on what is important.?

High Value KBQs are certainly the ones every organization needs to address. Seems easy but so far has proven to be hard for most companies.

To start the data transformation agenda, herein three practical tips, coming from my experience with global clients:

1.???Have a data sponsor at the executive level and a true commitment at the top to make decisions supported by data

2.???Make sure you have the right business questions

3.???Adjust your data governance processes to answer the Key Business Questions in a timely manner.

In 2012 Satya Nadella became Microsoft CEO. He stated “Every aspect of Microsoft's business is being fundamentally transformed because of data. “

?“You have to build deeply into the fabric of the company a culture that thrives on data."

Since then, Microsoft, has been relentlessly and purposely working to transform into a data driven organization, by focusing on democratizing access to data, enhancing the use of Power BI dashboards at all levels , while responsibly governing; empowering every employee to make impact-oriented decisions; continually building skills, unlearn and learn; infusing AI engines in our solutions and products; creating the rhythm of business to speed up decision making supported on data, and more.

Far from being perfect, we feel embarked in a journey, driven and supported by top leaders, to make the business thrive by making decisions supported by data. This behavior is highly contagious. Managers at all levels are learning the new ways.

We are fortunate at Microsoft to partner with multiple customers that have already embarked in this very promising journey.

Top Leadership actionable commitment is the foundation of the journey to Time to Insight (TTI).

In the following post I will address the power and need for SIMPLIFICATION.