Super Data Science: ML & AI Podcast with Jon Krohn

825: Data Contracts: The Key to Data Quality, with Chad Sanderson

Oct 8, 2024

Chad Sanderson, CEO of Gable.ai and an expert in data quality and governance, shares insights on the transformative power of data contracts in modern data management. He explains how these contracts clarify expectations for data quality and promote better alignment between data producers and consumers. The conversation dives into 'shifting left' practices that tackle problems early, address concerns about data debt, and the crucial role of human oversight. Chad also highlights storytelling as a tool for data teams to enhance communication and effectiveness.

01:02:22

Episode guests

Chad Sanderson

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Data contracts establish clear expectations for data quality and facilitate accountability between producers and consumers, enhancing overall data reliability.

Shifting data quality checks closer to production enables proactive issue detection and fosters collaboration among data teams in governance practices.

Data debt results from unmanaged changes and poor communication, leading to complex architectures that necessitate open dialogue for effective management.

Deep dives

Understanding Data Contracts

Data contracts are formal agreements between data producers and consumers, addressing persistent data quality and governance challenges. They define expectations related to data schema, quality, and semantics, similar to service contracts used in software engineering. The podcast emphasizes how data contracts facilitate clearer communication and accountability between data teams, thus improving data reliability. This structured approach aims to minimize the disruption caused by changes in data, such as modifications in formats or omitted fields.

Integrate Data Quality into Development Workflow

03:10

Manage Change to Ensure Data Quality

01:33

Embrace the Data Contract as a Service

01:33

Trust in Data: Clarity and Consistency Build Confidence

02:14

Intro

2min

Navigating Data Contracts for Quality and Trust

13min

The Importance of Data Quality and Problem-Solving in AI

2min

Evolving Data Quality Practices

12min

Addressing Data Quality Challenges in Modern Organizations

6min

Battling Data Debt with Contracts

9min

The Interconnection of Data and Team Collaboration

3min

Ensuring Data Integrity in AI

11min

Understanding Data Contracts for Enhanced Data Quality

3min

Data contracts are redefining data quality and governance, and Chad Sanderson, CEO of Gable.ai, joins host Jon Krohn to explain how they can transform your data strategy. He breaks down what data contracts are, how they shift data quality checks closer to production, and why they’re essential for reducing data debt. Chad also highlights how better alignment between data producers and consumers can elevate data reliability and tackle change-management challenges in modern organizations.

This episode is brought to you by epic LinkedIn Learning instructor Keith McCormick, and by Gurobi, the Decision Intelligence Leader. Interested in sponsoring a SuperDataScience Podcast episode? Email natalie@superdatascience.com for sponsorship information.

In this episode you will learn:

What data contracts are and how they define expectations for data quality [03:16]
What data contracts look like [09:09]
The common misconceptions about data quality when implementing AI [12:55]
Chad’s Chief Operator role at Data Quality Camp [19:46]
How “shifting left” improves data reliability by addressing issues early [24:17]
Why data professionals still struggle with data quality [30:31]
How data debt forms and why it leads to complex, inefficient architectures [35:53]
How will the role of human oversight evolve in ensuring data quality? [47:12]
How can data teams leverage storytelling? [52:33]

Additional materials: www.superdatascience.com/825

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