Becoming a Data Head

CHAPTER 1What Is the Problem?

“A problem well stated is a problem half solved.”

—Charles Kettering, inventor & engineer

The first step on your journey to become a Data Head is to help your organization work on data problems that matter.

That may sound obvious, but we suspect many of you have looked on as companies talked about how great data is but then went on to overpromise impact, misinterpret results, or invest in data technologies that didn't add business value. It often seems as if data projects are undertaken because companies like the sound of what they are implementing without fully understanding why the project itself is important.

This interaction leads to wasted time and money and can cause backlash against future data projects. Indeed, in a rush to find the hidden value in data many companies expect, they often fail at the first step in the process: defining a business problem.¹ So, in this chapter, we go back to the start.

In the next sections, we'll look at the helpful questions Data Heads should ask to make sure what you're working on matters. We'll then share an example where not asking these questions leads to a project failure. Finally, we'll discuss some of the hidden costs of not clearly defining a problem right from the start.

QUESTIONS A DATA HEAD SHOULD ASK

In our experience, going back to first principles and asking the fundamental questions required to solve a problem is easier said than done. Every company has a unique culture, and team dynamics ...