Hub & Spoken: Data | Analytics | Chief Data Officer | CDO | Data Strategy

The data industry has regular rhetoric that you shouldn’t look backward or run reports that look at what happened (descriptive analytics). This has led people to believe that this panacea exists where you are able to have your business strategy prescribed to you by data (prescriptive analytics). In this episode, host Jason Foster, argues why looking backward is a vital ingredient for your data strategy and how this practice helps you to improve personal and business performance.

In this episode Jason talks to Rob Kellaway, the Head of DataOps at Legal and General Investment Management about the role of DataOps for data strategy. They discuss how the role of DataOps should be to operationalise and increase the value and efficiency of data as it moves through the pipeline. They also explore how the governance surrounding your data strategy should be lightweight and productive, rather than governance for governance sake. Trimming down your plan of execution and finding ways of making the process more efficient is where the important role of DataOps steps in. Listen to find out more.

Our host, Jason Foster along with Barry Green were looking to give leaders the tools they needed to start changing the narrative on data and have it focused on what really matters – economic, business, organisational and societal outcomes. They got together, authored and published ‘Data Means Business’, a highly rated and best selling book. In this episode, they discuss the book, the process they went through to go from the gem of an idea to a published best selling book, why they felt there was a gap for this kind of book and some of the key topics, concepts and frameworks.

In this episode, Jason sits down with the founder of Data Kitchen, Christopher Bergh (otherwise known as the ‘Head Chef’) to discuss the importance of DataOps, and how this can be translated to improving the performance of technical data teams. They discuss how imperfect action can be better than delaying your delivery…only to find out it has flaws. Shorter delivery time and the importance of continuous feedback are also covered.

It’s easy to have the wrong priorities, focus on the latest technology trend, the next big thing and what bubbles up into the mainstream press when implementing a data strategy. In this episode host, Jason Foster talks about what’s actually important to focus on to ensure your data strategy delivers real value.

In this episode Jason talks to Grant Deans, a finance transformation specialist, on the role of data and analytics during finance transformation. They discuss how transformation shouldn’t have an end goal, instead a series of short sprints to enable people to remain agile and adapt when needed. They cover why data is so essential during transformation, where the FP&A team should sit in relation to the finance department and the type of skills needed in a modern finance department.

In this episode, Jason Foster explores the increasing imperative of being able to build an organisational culture that is guided by data and the lessons that can be learned from organisations that have re-written the rule book to flip the script and drive transformational change in their industry.

During uncertain times, you need to be able to do the best with the information you have and be ready to pivot as necessary. You won’t get your risk modelling 100% accurate the first time, but if you have a plan to intervene and adapt as necessary you will be a lot further along than if you wait for technology to catch up and produce ’perfect data. In this episode host, Jason Foster talks to business transformation and risk management expert, Margarita Pineda-Ucero, about how you model financial unknowns during these uncertain times.

In this episode, host Jason Foster discusses planning horizons for your data strategy. With so much uncertainty, change, movement in people behaviour, adjustments in business strategy and long-tail world events it’s normal to wonder over what period you should plan your strategy. How can you be sure of a short, mid and long term plan when everything might change tomorrow?

In this episode, Jason talks to Paul Ravenscroft, about his learnings of building data and analytics teams over the last 10 years at Boots, Walgreens Boots Alliance and now at Pets at Home as Head of Loyalty and CRM Analytics. They discuss the challenges of recruitment, development and retention of top data analytics talent and ensuring the job profile and the reality of the job are well aligned. They consider the importance of interesting and challenging work and doing all you can to make the work rewarding. Paul also talks through his approach to managing around having a scarce market of people that fit the role profile perfectly and how he has dealt with that situation. A fascinating talk for anyone involved with building and growing data teams.