As an active member of the data community, I often chat with people who are interested in using data to take their business to the next level. From executives looking to get started to folks leading established data practices, they want to tackle initiatives such as:
- setting up a data infrastructure or making improvements to their current stack
- prioritizing and managing a deluge of requests for analysis and reports
- creating a culture where people seek out and take advantage of data for decision making
- proving that the company is getting value out of the data team
- establishing the most compelling vision of the business for investors
Goals like these make it clear that leveraging data is about more than simply getting access to it, but where should you begin ?
Figure out how people, processes, and technologies will interact
Over the course of my career, I have learned that successful data initiatives include a plan for the people, processes, and technologies involved, because the unique context of your business has significant influence on project success.
Say you’re planning to roll out a new business intelligence tool:
- People issues include everything from having the skillset to build reports in a particular BI tool to instilling a culture where stakeholders use it to make decisions
- To get a handle on processes, you’ll want to think about things like how you’ll protect sensitive data, how stakeholders will request new reports, and how you’ll manage version control.
- Technology includes the tool for making and sharing reports, but it also includes the stack you’ve already invested in and how well any potential tool will fit in with your company’s roadmap.
A top-rated tool might work for other companies but be missing a critical feature that would improve adoption rates in your organization. Alternatively, a tool that initially seems less costly might ultimately be more expensive when you factor in full cost of ownership. There’s no one-size-fits-all guide to getting the most out of your investments in data, but keeping people, process, and technology in mind will help keep you on the right track.
Introducing Brooklyn Data Co.
This framework for improving data is simple, but putting it into practice is hard work. I started Brooklyn Data Co. to help executives and other data leaders get from ideas for leveraging their data to seeing real impact. At Brooklyn Data, we work closely with our clients at a level they need, becoming their fractional head of data, managing their data resources, and delivering mission-critical analysis and reporting projects.
I’m proud of the work we’ve done so far, including the 400+ hours of pro bono work we’ve done with an incredible nonprofit, The Trevor Project. Over the coming months, I’m excited to share more news on how we’re contributing to open source and to share our perspective on the issues that matter most to people who work with data.
And if you’re ready to take data to the next level at your company, I’d love to hear from you—drop me a line at hello@brooklyndata.co!
Build data capabilities that last with Brooklyn Data Co
