VIDEO | Business Intelligence & Data Manager: Data Considered a Magic Bullet for All Business Problems

(US and Canada) Owen Tak, Manager of Business Intelligence & Data, speaks with Michael Schwarz, Resultant Senior Vice President, in a video interview about showcasing value, prioritizing use cases, and managing expectations.

Sharing his approach to showcasing data’s value, Tak says that his team has two methods:

• Grassroot, involving proof of concepts and quick wins to get buy-ins.

• Top-down.

The next step is working closely with middle management to get them on board because they are part of the data community. Tak mentions that focusing only on the long-term strategy does not work because it is not tangible. The quick use cases help bring value to attention.

When it comes to prioritizing use cases, Tak says that his team uses a matrix to determine which case adds the most value. Tak stresses the need to keep an agile mindset and do this as an iterative process, revisiting use cases and ensuring that they add value consistently.

When asked how he manages expectations, he says that is the hardest part of the job. Tak explains that data is usually seen as a magic bullet to solve all business problems, and the expectation is that the data is readily available.

He maintains that is where data culture, communication, and data education come into play to manage expectations from different teams at all levels.

Tak says storytelling becomes crucial when it comes to conveying a message. The findings or insights must be communicated to all levels. In addition, he explains that his team works with various teams to understand their business problems, curate the storytelling, provide solutions, and then share recommendations.

CDO Magazine appreciates Owen Tak for sharing his insights and data success stories with our global community.

See more from Owen Tak

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