Hosts: Andy Clark, Tom Gough
Guest: Greg Bounds
Topic: Dealing With a Mess of Data Systems and Products
Key Points:
1. Introduction:
· Andy and Tom introduce Greg Bounds, who works as a data architect for a national nonprofit and also consults on data projects.
2. Defining the Problem:
· The discussion focuses on inheriting a complex data environment, termed a "dog's breakfast," with a mix of applications, systems, and databases.
· Tom emphasizes the challenges of dealing with multiple cloud providers and on-premises systems.
3. Scoping the problem:
· Start by talking to various stakeholders to understand the importance of different systems.
· Auditing and documenting the systems should follow naturally from these conversations.
4. Managing Stakeholder Priorities:
· Understand the challenge of balancing different departments' priorities and stresses the importance of understanding the entire data flow.
· Show the benefits of changes through small, manageable projects.
5. Technical Approach:
· Look for low-hanging fruit and opportunities to consolidate systems for quick wins.
· Simplifying the data architecture can de-risk the environment and reduce points of failure.
6. Benefits of Consolidation:
· Understand there may not be immediate cost savings, reducing the number of platforms simplifies governance and management.
· It also minimizes the need for specialized knowledge across multiple systems.
7. Planning for the Long Term:
· The importance of data governance and having a data team that is approachable and open to new solutions.
· Ensuring the data team has the right skills and capacity is crucial to maintaining a streamlined environment.
8. Key Takeaways:
· Communication with stakeholders and understanding their needs is essential.
· Focus on data quality and transparency, even if it means creating "snitch reports" to highlight issues.
· Look for quick wins to build momentum and show the value of changes.
· Engage the C-suite to drive adoption and support across the organization.
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