Execs Exchange Data Observability Experience at CDO Magazine Pre-Summit Dinner

Data, analytics, and AI executives from Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, DC, as well as Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, gathered to connect and examine the role of data observability in monitoring and maintaining data quality at the CDO Magazine Pre-Summit Executive Boardroom Dinner on September 30.

Ashok Chennuru, Elevance Health Chief Data & Digital AI Transformation Officer, shares the following takeaways from the event:

• Data quality and consistency: A modern data stack ensures the ingestion, storage, and processing of high-quality data. With data observability, we can continuously monitor and maintain data quality, ensuring that GenAI models are trained on accurate, reliable, and consistent datasets.

• Real-time data insights: Data observability provides real-time monitoring and analytics, enabling swift detection and correction of data issues. This allows GenAI models to access the most up-to-date and relevant data, facilitating timely insights and predictions.

• Enhanced data lineage and traceability: Understanding the flow and transformation of data through a modern data stack is critical. Data observability tools offer detailed data lineage and traceability, helping data scientists and engineers understand and trust the data fueling GenAI model development.

• Optimized performance: By leveraging performance metrics and identifying bottlenecks through data observability, a modern data stack can be fine-tuned for efficiency. This optimization ensures that GenAI training processes run smoothly and are resource-efficient, leading to faster and more effective AI model creation.

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Jane Urban, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies VP, Customer Engagement Operations, points out that the current state of data observability is “mixed,” as some organizations have prioritized it and seen the benefits while others have not been able to “make traction with their leaders to make the business case.” 

Urban adds, “Data leaders agree, though, that what holds most of data programs back now is the people and processes and not the technology. Accountability and engagement with data upkeep, and willingness to embrace changes in how data is managed are all barriers that change the role of a data leader into more of a change management role.”

“The conversation around data observability was very insightful,” notes Nate Murray, Fifth Third Bank Chief Data Officer. “So many different approaches to solve the same problem have led to several niche technologies becoming available. All aim to help with improved wing-to-wing enterprise data delivery. Great learning!”

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Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher: "As the landscape of data and technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we’re proud to bring together the brightest leaders across industries to not only discuss these shifts but also to pave the way forward. The insights shared at these events are essential in shaping the future of data quality and innovation."

Paul Walker, Pantomath Director of Sales, sums up the event saying, "Great dinner with some of Cincinnati's finest. It was insightful to hear from leading data minds about the importance of data reliability across various industries. With today's evolving complexity within data ecosystems, the common theme was that everyone is facing the same struggles in understanding the root cause of data issues and improving the time to resolution."

Special thanks goes to Pantomath for their partnership in making the event a success.

Ashok Chennuru, Nate Murray, and Jane Urban are members of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board. Additionally, Murray is Co-Chair of the Cincinnati Executive Board.

Executives attending this CDO Magazine Cincinnati Pre-Summit Executive Boardroom Dinner included:

Kishore Aradhya, Frontdoor Head, Data Engineering & Architecture; Ashok Chennuru, Elevance Health Chief Data & Digital AI Transformation Officer; Patrick Chew, AIT Worldwide Logistics VP, AI & Data Science; Sarang Deshpande, Franciscan Health VP, Data & Analytics; Rob Golden, Great American Insurance Group Chief Data & Analytics Officer; Juan Gorricho, TD Bank Head, Executive Product Owner & Data Strategy, AMCB Data as a Service; Mickey Mentzer, Cincinnati Reds Sr. Director, Baseball Systems; Nate Murray, Fifth Third Bank Chief Data Officer; Priya Rajaram, FIS/WorldPay Sr. Director, Global Head, Merchant Data Solutions; Sandy Steiger, Total Quality Logistics Sr. Director, Advanced Analytics & Automation; Jane Urban, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies VP, Customer Engagement Operations; James Halcomb, EDM Council Global Head, Research & Development; Corey Maxner, Data Society Group Director, Integration; Lauren Cartwright, Pantomath Account Executive; Craig Smith, Pantomath VP, Customer Experience; Paul Walker, Pantomath Director, Sales; Emmy Marinova, Pantomath Director, Marketing; Connor Glazier, Pantomath Account Executive; Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Director, Programs; Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher.