A foundation for building a data-driven culture

Abstract

As the world is becoming more digital, connected and intelligent, there is a growing desire among companies to become more data-driven. The unstoppable appetite for higher speed, sound and image resolution in this digital revolution is accompanied by an exponential increase in the volume of data. The key challenge, however, is how to use such data to serve our goals better. It is unwise to rely solely on technologies to cope with this challenge; rather, organisations must strike a balance between people and technologies. Technologies are here to help humans to take decisions, not take responsibility for decision-making. Championing this transformation in organisational culture is not easy and it is essential to lead by example. This article provides a foundation for building a data-driven culture and serves as a guideline for datadriven champions and other individuals who want to make such a change. It provides a generic framework on how data can play a critical role in research, problem solving and decision-making; provides an overview of common challenges; and suggests mitigations for daily practice.