S4 | Ep 14 | Effecting Change in a Large, Traditional Organisation with Sarah Barr Miller, Director of Data & Automation at British Airways

In Episode 14, of Season 4, of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Sarah Barr Miller, Director of Data & Automation at British Airways, where they discuss the reality of trying to influence change in a large, traditional organisation, which includes;Working in data straight out of University in the 90’sWhy data hasn’t historically been the focus of the organisationHow the digital experience of the business has left a lot to be desired at timesWhy the presence of safety extends culturally across the organisationHow they’ve had people working in data for over 35 years at the organisation Having deep ‘on-prem’ routesBeing the cheerleader of the team to drive change The challenges that having minimal to no attrition can bringHow they’ve upskilled and trained a large data teamBeing impatient in a world where change is slow Why they’re still using old-school tech and toolsBattling to increase the organisational expectations of the Data teamWhy the organisation doesn’t often see that data can be a solution to their issuesKicking off a big engagement and communications workstream to cater for 3 audiences Why this year will be more about bringing the work of the data team out into the daylight Being brutal in prioritising work Being open, transparent, and approachable as a leader The importance of framing ‘The Why’Generating interest from a business that had historically been trained to not make requests The polo mint analogy The transformation from governing data from a security perspective to being a value-generator The role operating model and team structure play in large-scale transformation The people puzzle; combining the why and the how Why data is at the heart of all BA transformation programmesThanks to our sponsor, Data Literacy Academy. Data Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today's data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data literacy first. At Data Literacy Academy, we don't just teach data skills. We empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. We're bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes.From those taking their first steps in data literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it's not just learning tracks that we offer. We embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.We take a people-first approach, working closely with your executive team to win the hearts and minds. We know this will drive the company-wide impact that data teams want to achieve. Get in touch and find out how you can unlock the full potential of data in your organisation. Learn more at www.dl-academy.com.