At the recently concluded Gartner Data & Analytics Summit 2021, we list down some of the key takeways from the two-day event:
Gareth Herschel, vp analyst at Gartner, outlined how D&A leaders can extend their influence across the enterprise and succeed in a continuously changing world.
- “The last year has been incredibly challenging but our organizations have recognized that when so many things are changing so rapidly, they need to invest in people and systems that will help make sense of that change and respond to it.”
- “We need to do the things the CEO cares about, like helping enable a transformation of our business model, identify the changes sweeping our industry before anyone else, optimize the way we manage our resources, and figure out new ways to connect employees, customers, and other stakeholders.”
- “Real change means changing people and processes, not just technology.”
- “Take the time to identify the leaders most willing to change. You can inspire them to move from the old ways of doing things and toward a future where data and analytics enable new success.”
- “We live in a world of necessary and continuous innovation, so we need technology and processes that are designed to help us keep up with change.”
- “If we want our colleagues to use data and analysis, then we need to focus on the point where they do so: the decision. Data without a decision is a distraction.”
- “We have a profound opportunity to extend the influence of data and analytics by embedding analytics in every decision.”
Donna Medeiros, senior director analyst, Gartner, shows how private and public sector organizations used data and analytics to address the many COVID-19 related challenges, and what we have learned from the experience.
- “It is the job of a leader to make decisions, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty.”
- “As the pandemic hit, many organizations pivoted to a data-driven mindset, in both the private and public sectors, as they began to use data and analytics for everyday decision making.”
- “Data and analytics leaders helped their organizations to adapt to trends and impact through scenario planning, plan new business value, and reinforce data use with a data literacy program.”
- “Advanced data & analytics technologies such as digital twins, graph analytics, augmented analytics and smart AI became more widely used, for the first time in some organizations.”
- “The processes and policies that might otherwise have been bottlenecks had to change quickly. This meant many old arguments around the use of data and analytics technologies were finally put to rest, such as “we can’t move to the cloud now” and “when will AI be mature enough to use?”
- “Have a pitch deck ready. You never know when you’ll have an opportunity to present your case.”
Andrew White, distinguished vp analyst at Gartner, discussed what a CDO can help achieve in an organization and the impact of not having one.
- “Using the power of data to drive better decisions is what being a CDO is all about.”
- “D&A used to be hidden within IT. Now it’s front and centre, with a clearer role for CDOs to marry business strategy and data analytics.”
- “A digital strategy that does not consider D&A will not scale. Gartner anticipates half of chief digital officers in enterprises without a CDO will need to become the de facto CDO to succeed.”
- “According to the sixth annual Gartner CDO Survey, defining and implementing a D&A strategy for their organization is the top area of responsibility for CDOs.”
- “Organizations must ask themselves: Is D&A thought of as a service, as a consulting guide, or as a leadership capability? This is part of the puzzle of setting up a CDO.”
- “When the CDO is actively and directly involved in setting business priorities, he or she is much more likely to add value to the organization.”
- “If your organization cares about innovation, you will want a CDO.”
