What key skills or attributes do you consider have contributed to your success in this role?
I have found the skills of collaboration, negotiation, storytelling, and troubleshooting to be invaluable in my journey. In data, we are often asked to tie business and technology together in new ways; to bring disparate teams together to drive toward tangible solutions, leveraging data, unlocks amazing opportunity and innovation.
What level of data maturity do you typically encounter across your client base and what tends to hold this back?
I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of organisations around the world, representing the full spectrum of data maturity. For those that are still relatively novice in their data journey, there is primarily a focus on basic business insights and reporting. As organisations begin to mature, we see a shift from backward looking to forward. They begin to leverage their data to be more predictive and preventative – leveraging advanced data science, AI, and machine learning.
Where I see organisations struggle is when they depend on technology to solve gaps in people and process. Successful data transformation requires strong change management that is inclusive of people, process and technology. Only by ensuring that you have a great foundation with the technology – and investing in the cultural aspects of your organisation – can you mature in your data journey.
