Feel Lost in the Data?
It is a common experience in The Data-Divide
If data has you feeling lost, you are far from alone. Simply recognizing this fact at public speaking events often leads to cheers and applause. The fact that my audience is most often full of data scientists, analysts, and data-driven executives — only reinforces it all the more.
No one is happy with what they are getting from their data.
Some companies struggle to collect the data they need. Some struggle to find the data they have. They struggle to understand it. They struggle to manage it. Almost everyone struggles to use it. Some even struggle to recognize just how poorly they do. Those folks don’t actually feel lost… making them doubly so.
The world of data & analytics is more complicated than ever before.
Big Data. Data Science. Deep Learning. Machine Learning. Artificial Intelligence. Neural Networks. Natural Language Processing. The list goes on. The acronyms get worse. And we haven’t touched on the ever expanding array of NoSQL databases or concepts coming from the Internet of Things (IoT). There is an array of regression algorithms, cognitive biases, and tests using single letters (many Greek).
In other words, if you are not lost… you just aren’t paying attention!
The situation is so extreme that it has a name — The Data Divide.
Only who has actually made it to the other side? Among companies you are limited to the largest and most focused. Even then banks, insurance, investment, pharmaceutical, cybersecurity, logistics, and tech struggle. Yes, even Facebook and Google have been known to lose their way.
Companies feel lost.
Executives and professional even more so. Aspiring analysts, students, and the next generation of data-driven workers — are losing hope. Or at least they soon will, often after a few years of wasted effort.
How can you find your way?
Finding your place in the divide takes an experienced eye and a lot of effort…unless you have a map or a survey.
Think about it. If you were lost in the wilderness, it is exactly what you would turn to. Companies and employees alike could benefit greatly from a simple survey or map. Something that tells you where you are in the vast landscape of data and analytics. More importantly, something providing simple steps for how to move forward, prioritize, and leverage your data.
Finding the right talent to help you takes a tremendous amount of trial and error. It is dangerous and costly…unless you have a beacon.
Think of a lighthouse, a solid analogy. It is a shining beacon on a hill, a clear milestone in the journey helping struggling mariners to navigate rough waters. In data & analytic terms, you need assessment. A tool to help you discover and avoid the pitfalls of complex hiring and staffing challenges. A clear milestone that allows you to evaluate the fit and readiness of your teams and new hires.
Finding an effective way to train and educate your team has left more people and companies lost than before they started. Bad training is boring, costly, and ineffective…unless you have a compass.
Bad training abounds. The good news — it is cheaper than ever. Unless you build a proper ROI model which accounts for time investments, poor outcomes, and lower employee satisfaction. In which case — bad training is more expensive than ever, it is just harder to tell.
If you know where you stand, if you know where you need to go, and if you know the specific talent you have to address it… training should be faster, better, and more satisfying than ever. Said another way… with a map and a beacon, I only need a compass to bring me quickly to my destination.
Where do I find these metaphorical tools?
With decades of experience and years of testing, Corsair’s Ventures has assembled a small set of products and services that can help.
Our Data Survey service can map where your company stands in this vast data landscape. It is the perfect tool for improving your data, your reporting, your job listings, and your decision-making.
Our Beacon product is an elegant way to assess your talent. It is a simple yet comprehensive tool for vetting new hires, assessing legacy teams, or developing a great education plan.
Finally, our Compass training solution provides prescriptive and customized training for all your data-driven professionals. Augment the skills of your analysts, train new hires, empower data-driven managers, and broaden the knowledge of your IT professionals. Training has never been this efficient, effective, or engaging.
Three simple steps. Three powerful products. All time and budget friendly. Find us, we will help you find your way. More importantly, we will help you find the value in your data and your data-driven teams.
