“It’s not just about the cool shiny tool.” Today Ryan welcomes Catalina Herrera, Field Chief Data Officer at Dataiku. She discusses her extensive background in engineering and AI, emphasizing the importance of data governance, trust, and frameworks in achieving data-driven success. She explains that effective data use involves seamless organizational collaboration, clear roles, and responsibility. She touches on challenges faced by both large and small organizations in deriving value from data, highlighting the need for digitalized processes and AI literacy. The two also dive into the necessity of holistic frameworks for maintaining data integrity and avoiding negative outcomes in AI deployments. The episode highlights the essential balance between technical infrastructure and human factors in leveraging data for better business decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• Foster AI Literacy: Ensure that your team and leadership are well-versed in AI and data concepts. This includes understanding the basics of machine learning, data governance, and how data-driven decisions can benefit the organization.
• Break Down Silos: Eliminate data and team silos to promote collaboration and integrated data pipelines.
• Enable Proactive Maintenance: Don’t just focus on the shiny new tools. Regularly maintain and update your data infrastructure. Ensure your systems are resilient and capable of delivering accurate insights over time.
• Measure and Communicate ROI: Regularly measure the ROI of your data initiatives and communicate these metrics clearly to stakeholders. This helps demonstrate the tangible benefits and justifies continued investment in data and analytics.
• Adopt a Framework for Data Integration: Use integrated frameworks to connect various data assets and analytics tools. This approach helps provide a holistic view of data and ensures that insights are generated within a consistent and controlled environment.

Quote of the Show:

• “ Without trust, you don't have a group of people making better decisions, and that trust doesn't happen if you don't know that behind the scenes you have a framework.” - Catalina Herrera

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herreracatalina/
• Website: https://www.dataiku.com/
• Paint by Numbers: https://thetasteofbalance.com/

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