Data literacy is a key enabler of the value and impact from data. How are you approaching this within your organisation?
Within our organisation, we recognise the crucial role of data literacy in unlocking the value and impact from data. Data fluency is one of the four pillars of our data strategy, highlighting its continued importance in our organisation over the next strategic cycle. We have taken significant steps to approach data literacy within our organisation.
Firstly, we have appointed an individual specifically in charge of data fluency and data culture. This emphasises the importance of data literacy and ensures it is a key priority rather than a side-of-the-desk activity.
To support the development of foundational knowledge and demystify the fear around data, we have established an in-house data academy. This academy provides training and education to employees across the organisation, laying the foundation of governance and promoting good data practices. We have piloted this programme with 75 individuals, receiving positive feedback and engagement.
In addition, we have partnered with an external organisation to build a comprehensive data literacy programme that will be launched next year. This programme will focus on gaining senior stakeholder buy-in and conducting a UK-wide data maturity assessment to identify key areas for focus in 2024.
To ensure widespread data literacy, we have undertaken key stakeholder mapping across our UK business. This has allowed us to understand the landscape of federated data teams and partner with various teams in key functions to provide enablement on data basics and technical knowledge. Approximately 250 individuals in these functions have benefited from these initiatives.
We also drafted an internal data obligation policy aimed at increasing the focus on the importance of data and fostering a sense of responsibility for ethical data practices across the organisation.
Lastly, we have developed a new data apprenticeship programme, targeting individuals who heavily utilise data in their roles or those who can benefit from basic data training for career growth. This programme aims to enhance data literacy and support individuals in utilising data effectively.
Overall, our approach to data literacy includes the establishment of a dedicated role, the development of internal training programmes, partnerships with external organisations, stakeholder engagement, policy development, and apprenticeship programmes. These efforts collectively contribute to fostering a data-literate culture within our organisation, enabling us to harness the value and impact from data effectively.