Data-Driven Culture: Moving the Needle

CDO Magazine and ComSpark brought together data and technology leaders to share best practices, learn, and grow as a community at the CDO Midwest Summit 2022. The session titled “Data-Driven Culture: Moving the Needle” portrays the importance of building a data-driven culture and the organizational data journeys of the following speakers:

• Shannon Favazza, Principal, Head of Analytics, Edward Jones

• Vipin Gopal, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Eli Lilly and Company

• Josette Riep, Executive IT Director, University of Cincinnati

Michael Marker, Data Solutions Executive at Resultant, moderated the session.

Favazza begins the discussion by sharing that her organization, Edward Jones, is committed to investing in digital infrastructure. She adds that sponsorship is a necessary element to keep moving forward.

“We are continuing to get the value side of the equation out, to continue to fund more of the data side we need,” says Favazza. She shares that the organization made data analytics a business function and views it as a strategic asset.

Data is a part of daily life at the University of Cincinnati because the institution focuses on delivering data-based solutions, says Riep. “We must understand where the data sits strategically and how we create an umbrella of information that allows us to push forward effectively.”

According to Gopal, the health care industry becomes more data-driven with each passing day. He considers data literacy a tool to achieve data-driven culture and suggests upskilling employees in various data–analytics skill sets.

Regarding techniques to achieve a data-driven culture, Gopal highlights the importance of asking the question, “Is your recommendation backed by data?” He adds that his company invests in upskilling tools through vendors like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning and develops tailored training programs.

A CDO or CDAO is the coach in the room who creates the culture, according to Favazza. Riep recalls the COVID period as the big turning point. “I think the biggest tool you can use is making sure to focus on where value can be added,” she says.

Furthermore, Favazza suggests following Gartner's model for data literacy maturity and sometimes the hub-and-spoke model in the context of data practitioners.

When discussing the impact of bias on the data success journey, Riep says, “We have an opportunity at the University of Cincinnati to be a leader in looking at success factors, being very transparent about developing algorithms to get to that trust level, and ensuring that once we promote that information, people feel some added value in it.”

According to Gopal, four factors determine the success of a data-driven culture: 

• Are decisions made based on data?

• Is data managed as an asset?

• How is the leadership behavior?

• How is data privacy managed in the organization?

He maintains that the amalgamation of these verticals determines if an organization has a highly data-driven culture.

Responding to audience queries on business outcomes, Gopal states that the strategy should be multidirectional or bi-directional. Elaborating, he says that upskilled employees will put the training to use when they get leadership signals.

Adds Riep, “Our biggest challenge is how to add training top-down so that we can ensure standardization in terms of literacy.”

Favazza mentions adding the role of an “analytic translator consultant” in the organization. As a data-driven culture accelerator, inclusion is proving to be very powerful, she notes.

Continuing, the panelists discuss operating models. Favazza affirms having a distributed model, a standardized analytic talent framework, performance management criteria, and centralization of some skill sets. 

Riep points out that the University of Cincinnati is still in the early stages of digital transformation but has a high level of data governance and a robust data security structure. 

Gopal concludes the discussion by stating that Eli Lilly follows a mixed model. The organization advocates managing data strategies at the enterprise level and incorporates cultural champions in various areas to execute the transformation.

Watch other CDO Midwest Summit 2022 sessions HERE