#106 Building an Effective Data Strategy: Why oh Why Don't You Start with the Why - Interview w/ Liz Henderson

Sign up for Data Mesh Understanding's free roundtable and introduction programs here: https://landing.datameshunderstanding.com/Please Rate and Review us on your podcast app of choice!If you want to be a guest or give feedback (suggestions for topics, comments, etc.), please see hereEpisode list and links to all available episode transcripts here.Provided as a free resource by Data Mesh Understanding / Scott Hirleman. Get in touch with Scott on LinkedIn if you want to chat data mesh.Transcript for this episode (link) provided by Starburst. See their Data Mesh Summit recordings here and their great data mesh resource center hereLiz's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizhendersondata/Liz's website: https://lizhendersondata.wordpress.com/In this episode, Scott interviewed Liz Henderson AKA The Data Queen, Executive Advisor at Capgemini. To be clear, Liz was only representing her own views on the podcast.Some high-level takeaways/thoughts from Liz's view:To drive buy-in and engagement in a data strategy - especially with people outside the IT/data team - focus on the "why". Why are you doing this initiative or approach? What business goals is it supporting?Also on driving buy-in for a data initiative, start by listening instead of selling/pitching. Focus on the business needs and work backwards to show how data can help address those needs.To be successful with a large change-management data initiative, you need the patience, leadership, courage, and will to push forward. And the budget - don't forget the budget :DYou can't have an effective data strategy if it isn't directly tied into the business strategy. Really consider how data can help to support and execute on the business strategy. Data strategy in a vacuum away from the business is a recipe for trouble.It's very easy to get overly focused in data on what you are delivering instead of why you are delivering it and who it is supposed to serve. If you want to be successful, you need to focus on the latter two. And look to deliver continuous incremental value rather than a back-end loaded value delivery.Change management is very easy to get wrong in data. Really consider if you can not only get the ball rolling, but keep it rolling and in the right direction to implement a large change. Loss of momentum can mean loss of funding.If data mesh follows a similar pattern to data literacy, it's likely to be 3-4 years from initial large swell in hype around data mesh - whether that was late 2021 or more now - until we really see a clear picture of how more organizations have implemented. There needs to be a time for trial and error.Data literacy can only get you so far - you need data storytelling and...