It is no secret that it can be difficult to get a data project on the agenda. There are many (if not good – then at least tempting) reasons for management to shut their eyes and ears: Data projects quickly get complicated, they involve many stakeholders, they tend to drag out, and the ROI is hard to document. So really ... why bother?
Jill Dyché’s view on (big) data
At the SAS Forum conference in September, we had the pleasure of a visit from Jill Dyché, VP of best practices at SAS, a bestseller author, and a management consultant.
- Data management can pay for itself if it’s done correctly. We just haven’t done it correctly very often, Jill Dyché said during her keynote presentation, which proved that we really do need to move ahead in this field.
She talked about the opportunities with big data and how CEO’s tend to lack the knowledge and time needed to be able to take the right approach. She also presented examples of real-life projects at companies such as Harrah’s and Commonwealth Bank, where strategic use of data has been the key to innovation and optimization. And she went into detail regarding the processes and methods that had led to a successful outcome, for example the use of strategy maps and small controlled projects (SCP’s).
- I wish I could have my whole management group sit down and listen to this presentation, one conference guest was heard saying when leaving the auditorium.
Connect data management to a business problem
At the end of her presentation in Copenhagen, Jill cheerfully quoted the Grateful Dead: -Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us, she said. So in other words, we can all be the person who changes the direction of our company. But how on earth do we get started?
One of Jill’s key messages is to link data management to a business need or a business problem that naturally gets management focus. View the video below to get more recommendations from Jill.
Want to see the full presentation?
Jill Dyché’s keynote presentation at SAS Forum Sweden was recorded, view it here if you are sorry you missed it.
