Data Radicals

The early founders of the internet argued that privacy was dead. But today’s guest was motivated to revolutionize data privacy instead. Michelle Finneran Dennedy, CEO of PrivacyCode and co-author of The Privacy Engineer’s Manifesto, is one of the world’s first Chief Privacy Officer. She and Satyen talk about how the role of CPO has changed throughout her tenure, the tough work of designing privacy policies, the future of data privacy, and much more.--------“CPOs today are business leaders and risk takers.” — Michelle Finneran Dennedy--------Time Stamps* (0:00) Privacy is dead. Get over it.* (5:54) What made Michelle passionate about privacy* (10:05) The evolution of the Chief Privacy Officer* (12:29) What is data policy?* (14:26) The roles morals and ethics play in data policy* (19:23) Debunking privacy engineering* (29:11) The future of privacy--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Michelle on LinkedInCheck out The Privacy Engineer’s Manifesto

No risk, no reward. Kyle Kirwan, co-founder and CEO of BigEye, helps companies manage risk more intelligently through the power of data quality. In this interview, Kyle describes his experience as one of the first data scientists and analysts at Uber, weighs the pros and cons of build versus buy, and defines the modern data stack – with an eye to what’s next. --------“We're living in this Renaissance era when it comes to data tools.” - Kyle Kirwan--------Time Stamps* (0:00) What Monopoly teaches us about data* (3:00) Data’s role at Uber* (7:29) Building vs. Buying* (12:14) The current and future landscape of data tools* (17:58) Getting the right people involved* (20:20) Creating a data culture* (28:48) Insights into the modern data stack--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Kyle on LinkedInCheck out BigeyeSeven Principles for Reliable Data Pipelines by Kyle KirwanRegister for the Data Reliability Engineering ConferenceData Discovery in 2020 by Kyle Kirwan

Science and data are powerful tools of discovery, but our expectations are often misaligned with what science can actually do. Interpreting and understanding science involves nuance, humility, and an open mind – muscles that we don’t always flex as often as we should.Today’s guest is Christie Aschwanden, journalist and NYT bestselling author. Christie is an expert in understanding the power – and limitations – of science. Christie explains why science isn’t broken, how to get reliable answers from the scientific method, and the science behind why quitting can sometimes be the best decision possible.--------“I think it's really important to always recognize that there's a possibility that whatever you're thinking now is wrong…We need to understand that one of the most fundamental aspects of science is that it's provisional. We always have to be open to new evidence and recognize that there's always the chance that we will gain new evidence that will overturn our current ways of thinking. And that's okay.” -Christie Aschwanden--------Time Stamps* (3:12) Is Science Broken?* (7:07) What is Motivational Reasoning?* (11:27) The Importance of Nuance in Science * (12:50) One Trait Christie Highly Recommends * (14:40) The Misaligned Incentive Structure in Science Today* (16:38) Stories Are the Way We Make Sense of Data* (19:44) The Creative Process and the Value of Quitting* (23:35) The #1 Thing that Any High-Performance Person Can Do* (25:40) The Importance of Not Being Productive* (27:21) The Benefits of Sleep and How to Get Better Sleep* (30:30) Christie’s #1 Piece of Advice--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------Links* Christie’s Website* Good To Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery* Follow Christie on Twitter* Christie’s Podcast “Emerging Form”* Christie’s FiveThirtyEight Archive* Psychology’s Replication Crisis Has Made The Field Better from FiveThirtyEight

The average CDO only lasts 18 months in their position. 18 months! With odds that dire, data leaders need all the inside scoop they can get to climb the massive mountain ahead of them. Luckily, today we’re giving you a roadmap.Today’s guest is Peter Jackson, Co-Founder and Director of Caruthers and Jackson. Peter shares his advice on how to up your odds of passing that 18-month mark with flying colors. He discusses why CDOs are key players in a company’s future, and offers tips for navigating vendor relationships, building up data literacy in your organization, and much more.--------"Wherever you find a spreadsheet—that's an opportunity for a quick win, because you might be able to automate that process by using some technologies and by teaching people new skills, and that will reduce data errors.” - Peter Jackson--------Time Stamps* (0:00) The high stakes for CDOs* (2:29) How CDOs are change agents* (6:02) How to know if being a CDO is right for you* (8:40) Advice for new CDOs* (11:45) The secrets of spreadsheets* (17:06) How to make the most of vendor relationships* (23:48) Building data literacy at your organization--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Peter on LinkedInCheck out Carruthers and Jackson

Whether you’re a whistleblower exposing fraud or a new CDO with uncomfortable insights at an organization, “just the facts” alone won’t convince the crowd. You need buy-in, conviction, and the ability to tell a compelling story.In today’s episode, Dr. Margaret Heffernan, author, professor, and seasoned CEO, shares what she’s learned about leading teams to light. She shares insights on willful blindness, how to make people care about data, and how to build the most productive teams. --------"What's really interesting about whistleblowers is that they're deeply ordinary." - Dr. Margaret Heffernan--------Time Stamps* (0:03) A history of whistleblowers* (2:43) Alice Stewart and a pattern of willful blindness to important data* (9:38) Data alone doesn’t win arguments* (19:59) The psychology of whistleblowers * (27:31) How to be a whistleblower* (30:00) The downside of being a super chicken--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Margaret on LinkedInCheck out Margaret's book Uncharted: How to Map the Future

Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpot, discusses the evolution of BI, the urgency of increasing data literacy, starting data transformation, competing in the labor market, and the importance of connecting with others outside the organization. She emphasizes the need for data-driven decision-making and shares tips on measuring diversity and promoting inclusion.

Corporate malfeasance is a cold fact. And when companies lie to the public, real people get hurt.Amir Efrati, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of the Information, exposes the truths big firms conceal. His reporting has brought corporations to justice, won numerous awards, and been cited by federal judges. In this episode, Amir discusses the Facebook Papers, controversies around self-driving cars, and the relationship between data-driven decisions and transparency. This one isn't for the faint of heart, and you won’t want to miss it.--------"There was this dissonance between what was privately being shared and what was publicly being announced. People are making life decisions based on completely false assumptions. That's not good for anyone. Investors are investing pension money and other people's money in companies based on what's publicly announced and not what's privately known. That's not good either." - Amir Efrati--------Time Stamps* (0:00) Corporate responsibility vs public good* (3:18) What’s The Information?* (6:31) The inside scoop on the Facebook Papers* (14:51) How to hack humans* (17:12) The secrets of self-driving cars* (23:57) Why the cloud is a trillion dollar industry--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Amir on LinkedInCheck out The Information

The world of data is often elusive and nebulous. And as time goes on, different myths circulate the zeitgeist. Today’s guest walks us through some common myths, and serves as our own personal mythbuster. Michelle Hoiseth, Chief Data Officer of Parexel, uncovers the biggest data challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, and shares how you too can be a data mythbuster, how you can lead a data journey at your organization, and much more. --------“I use a cartoon still where the top frame is ‘who wants clean data’ and everybody in the crowd has their hand up. Then the next frame is ‘who wants to clean their data’ and everyone's hand is down and they're looking at their shoes—and that was Parexel." - Michelle Hoiseth--------Time Stamps* (0:00) Being a data mythbuster * (2:45) The data problems facing the pharmaceutical industry* (10:42) Embarking on a data journey* (24:10) Lessons learned from a data overhaul* (25:23) A data cultural evolution--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Michelle on LinkedInCheck out Parexel

Anxiety about math. For most Americans, it’s so deeply ingrained it’s practically a personality trait. Unfortunately, this fear can linger in our psyches as we age. But, thankfully, Data Radicals like Caroline Carruthers are here to confront that fear and educate our data-anxious peers.Caroline is the co-author of “The Chief Data Officer's Playbook,” and today she’s explaining why CDOs play a crucial role in building a data-based organization. She shares advice on how to be an effective CDO, and promote data literacy so people embrace data-driven decision making at your company, and much more.--------"Spend time with your stakeholders and talk to them about data. Relax them, take them out for coffee and cake, sit there and just get to know them as a person and ask them about what they're trying to do." - Caroline Carruthers--------Time Stamps* (0:04) Being a data cheerleader* (2:39) How to be an effective CDO* (8:45) Finding your data skillset * (11:59) Turning your stakeholders into Data Radicals* (14:40) Teaching data literacy to your organization* (20:18) Raising the next generation of Data Radicals* (26:23) Meeting people where they are--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Caroline on LinkedInCheck out Carruthers and Jackson

With stories of different space explorations constantly in the news—it’s an exciting time to be a space enthusiast. But with the habitation of Mars seemingly on the horizon it begs the question: is there going to be an HOA on Mars? Figuring out how governance will work on Mars is a logistical problem that just stems more and more questions, not unlike data governance today. Similarly, we’re in the exciting times of data governance, but are still relatively unsure about any of the logistics. Today, Paola Saibene, Principal of Teknion Data Solutions, shares her insights on how to confront data governance head on, transform your organization with data, the future of data, and much more.--------"Protect the people inside of the data. And I don't mean in a cyber sense only, but protect the people by having that care put into how it is being treated all the way post capture." - Paola Saibene--------Time Stamps* (0:00) Data Governance and the Wild Wild West* (3:46) How to help your clients face data challenges* (7:49) What is data governance?* (8:44) The key to certified data* (14:13) How to advocate for data at your organization* (20:21) The future of data work--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Data Radicals: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Paola on LinkedInCheck out Teknion Data Solutions