Analytics on Fire

Today's guest is another day one as he’s been in my community for over a decade and attended my very first Xcelsius training class! Mark Bradley has been in IT for around 30 years and has such a huge amount of knowledge and enthusiasm for the intersection of data, metrics, and leadership, I promise that you are not going to want to miss this amazing data masterclass!

If you are thinking about becoming a CIO (Chief Information Officer) or your company is going through a digital transformation, this data masterclass is for you. Join us as discuss the ITIL framework, the topic of Mark’s recent book. We also look at how this relates to DITS or digital and IT strategy and the actionable steps you can take to accelerate your digital transformation!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• [0:07:44] Mark describes the difference between building internally and outsourcing.
• [0:13:02] Mark teaches why you should focus on data quality vs quantity to build dashboards that serve specific needs of an organization.
• [0:20:32] The evolution of the ITIL methodology and getting to grips with DITS or digital and IT strategy.
• [0:25:13] Specific roles that DITS is most appropriate for: CIOs, aspiring managers, directors, and CTOs.
• [0:30:42] How relationships have changed with the subscription model for business.
• [0:31:37] Who the ITIL® 4 book is best suited to; size of businesses and types of transformations.
• [0:33:23] The obstacles to building a successful and functional digital strategy for a business.
• For full show notes, and the links mentioned visit: https://bibrainz.com/podcast/81 Enjoyed the Show? Please leave us a review on iTunes.

Data plays a vital role in helping companies develop a competitive advantage, but it’s the data evangelist who gathers and leverages those insights to help organizations understand the story their data is telling them. Today, on Analytics on Fire, we discuss how to become a data evangelist with data storyteller, leader, and lifelong learner, Santosh Kanthethy. At the time of recording this episode, Santosh was the IT Technology Manager for NextEra Energy Resources. Now, he is Head of Data Analytics and the leader of a growing internal data visualization community at EverBright, a solar financing solutions company and a subsidiary of NextEra.

Tuning in, you’ll gain step-by-step instructions for becoming a rockstar data evangelist , including three things to consider before you get started. We also take a look at the top functions of an internal data visualization community, how to get your executive team on board, and how to overcome some of the challenges that data evangelists are likely to encounter along the way. For actionable insights into how to build a thriving community, transform data culture from the inside out, and more, make sure not to miss this episode!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• [06:16] More about NextEra, one of America's largest capital investors in infrastructure.
• [07:10] Defining what a data evangelist is and how the internal data visualization community at NextEra was born.
• [08:48] Why Santosh decided to nurture and grow this community and switch from IT to data.
• [09:55] What the game of cricket taught Santosh about being a team leader.
• [13:55] Three things to consider before becoming a data evangelist: the maturity of your organization, your curiosity, and your ability to create content.
• [19:16] How often the data community meets and some of the topics that come up.
• [20:50] The three core selling points of a data community for your company: consistency better decision making, and relevance.
• [24:19] Tips for obtaining essential executive buy-in and support.
• [26:52] Becoming tool-agnostic: how to evangelize the benefits of the practice, not the tool.
• [29:34] A look at membership and how to determine who joins your data community.
• [31:40] KPIs, WIGs, and OKRs to measure the success of your community.
• [34:13] How data evangelists can overcome resistance while building a community.
• [36:20] What percentage of technology budgets should be allocated to community, change management, and upskilling.
• [38:50] How Santosh is inspired by the people he interacts with on a daily basis.
• [0:43:21] How Santosh can help you visualize your fitness data from Garmin or Strava!

For full show notes, and the links mentioned visit: https://bibrainz.com/podcast/89

Enjoyed the Show?

Please leave us a review on iTunes.

Welcome to another exciting masterclass! Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of how two women leaders on our BI Brainz team, created not one, but two of our most downloaded dashboard templates ever! To share these juicy details, we are joined by Raquel Seville, CEO of BI Brainz Caribbean, and Anna Ria, our very own Head of Design and well-known BI Data Storytelling Accelerator trainer. In the first part, you’ll hear from Raquel, as she explains how she used our BI Data Storytelling Framework to transform a 271-page annual report into a simple, insightful Power BI Stock Dashboard template that got a thumbs-up from the company’s CEO on social media.

Then, we jump into part two with Anna, as she shares the unique inspiration behind our now-famous Analytics Design Guide template and why she believes it became one of the most downloaded templates in BI Brainz history, with over 600 downloads in the first 48 hours!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• [0:05:33] What Raquel has learned as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
• [0:06:10] How she built a single view dashboard from a 271-page annual report by focusing on a clear goal.
• [0:10:16] Raquel’s idea to create the Stock Data Viz Template, a free Power BI Dashboard.
• [0:28:27] What the Analytics Design Guide (or ADG) actually is: a set of guidelines that anybody can use.
• [0:30:46] Who will benefit from using the ADG, from novices to dashboard wizards!
• [0:34:08] How ADG can help users that are “over creative” by honing in on specific areas.
• [0:35:10] The story-driven analytics that drive the ADG and why Anna believes that storytelling is crucial for success.
• For full show notes, and the links mentioned visit: https://bibrainz.com/podcast/79 Enjoyed the Show? Please leave us a review on iTunes.

Welcome to the first part of a three-part podcast, with each episode touching on the part of our data storytelling framework. You’ll find a deep dive into each part of the framework and find out what lessons were learned and the big takeaways from our last data telling accelerator workshop, which was a huge success.

Even though there are other data telling stories schools of thought, one element our followers love is how we tackle the three parts of storytelling: what you say, what you write, and what you draw. As we’ve learned, this starts with your conversation.

Find out what feedback I received from the workshop post-survey, the biggest mistakes people make when trying to sell to end-users, and why most people don’t know that 99% of questions you ask your client are data-related and why they shouldn’t be.

• [03:53] Storytelling starts with your conversation and with the content that you write. If you get that part right, the part that you have to visualize becomes very easy. We teach this process and also implement this process at big companies around the world.
• [07:25] Guessing off the top of your head what you think is going to happen is a waste of time. The biggest value of our framework is breaking down the storytelling process into parts for you to be able to quickly see what a story truly is, how to bring it together, and to see the gaps in your current story to remedy those holes in your story and bring your story together.
• [13:28] Humans make decisions with their emotions and then they use logic to justify it. So if you are one that is using ginormous words that are not visual or thinking that the more data you give to your end users is going to make them better users, you are grossly mistaken.
• For full show notes, and the links mentioned visit: https://bibrainz.com/podcast/70

Enjoyed the Show?

Please leave us a review on iTunes.

This week we are joined by AoF alumni, David Dadoun to talk about data lakes, data oceans, data puddles, and data platforms, and why so many are confused about the topic. David is a leader, professor, global speaker, and recently transitioned to an exciting new role as Head of Enterprise Data and BI at BRP in Canada.

If you feel unsure about the definition of a data lake vs a data platform, you’re not alone. The concept continues to evolve, to where we are today which is a data platform. As the owner and creators of multiple data platforms, David shared breaks down the key steps to transform your data lake into a data platform. Whether you’re migrating to a more sophisticated data cloud or building a platform from scratch, the rapid pace of change means there’s always something new to be learned. Tune in today for this fascinating conversation on how to master your data platform!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• [0:07:35] What the ‘data lake’ was and how it has evolved over time.
• [0:08:35] What is a data fake and how data lakes have evolved into data platforms.
• [0:12:51] Who needs to own the data platforms and who it’s for.
• [0:14:41] How to run a data platform depending on the size and structure of your organization.
• [0:16:05] The different ways that companies can structure their data platform(s).
• [0:18:02] Why data literacy is crucial for any company with a data culture and how data lakes form part of the core strategy.
• [0:21:03] How to balance analytics and data goals within your company and teams.
• [0:24:20] The important steps a company can take towards creating a data lake.
• [0:28:13] Why it’s necessary to be mindful of the rapid rate of change within data and how it will affect your data platforms.

For full show notes, and the links mentioned visit: https://bibrainz.com/podcast/83

Enjoyed the Show?

Please leave us a review on iTunes.