Data Agency or Execution?
Getting Inside The Labels
Some readers from India recently questioned why I have been writing about Data Agency. Why not Data Execution? It is a fair question. That said, I cringe at the use of Data Interrogation (too close to torture). Where does that leave Data Execution? But that is hardly a defense…
More problematic is the concept of DEP, data execution prevention. It is a security feature within windows. It is also quite descriptive of what actually happens at many companies, not what they intended — just what actually transpires. This is a fairer defense, but not the best one.
Execution implies action, perhaps better than Agency. Execution is certainly a word associated with high performing organizations. It also calls to mind a strategy component. But execution does not imply influence, empowerment, or outcome nearly as well. I know these are the secondary definitions of Agency, but the secondary definition of execution is death… literally. Agency also has strong association with both the intelligence community and gaming community.
Agency in gaming was well explained by Keith Stuart several years ago in his article for the Guardian. Extending thinking like this to data, only seems natural. The stronger question may be why haven’t I spent more time developing Data Agent, but I will leave that for later articles.
For those wondering, Data Intelligence is thoroughly branded. Techopedia provides the definition at left. It is yet one more redundant definition in the overly re-branded world of data science and analytics. I am not really sure what this term adds to any discussion, but it too falls far short of what we are seeking to define with Data Agency. Referencing an earlier article I can now note:
It has been said that you are not really intelligent if you still need to work for your data. You are only truly intelligent when your data works for you.
Data Agency starts with Deep Analytics. It uncovers Dark Data. It is a Tradecraft, an art, and a science. To truly build agency, it must result in solutions, tools, and execution. But for ALL of these reasons, it feels as if Data Agency is a much more complete label than Data Execution.
For more insight into the Data Trade consider:
For more on Data Agency consider:
For help building these in your company:
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for more on Data Agency, Data Agents, Deep Analytics, and much more.
