Eckerson Group Audio Blogs

Every organization that manufactures data for decision making is rethinking its data architecture. Compared to five years ago, there is a treasure trove of new technologies and techniques that promise to transform the way organizations compete and serve customers. This audio blog summarizes the major characteristics of a modern data architecture and serves a high-level guide for organizations that are in the midst of developing a new data strategy for the modern age.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/ten-characteristics-of-a-modern-data-architecture

Ten Characteristics Of A Modern Data Architecture by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Data engineering is one of the hottest and most difficult jobs to fill in the field of analytics. Breadth and depth of required skills limits the number of people qualified to work as data engineers. If you’re seeking to hire data engineers, consider the 24 skill areas identified here as guidance to shape job descriptions and to screen candidates. If you’re seeking to become a data engineer, take the skills assessment to highlight your strengths and identify your gaps.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/data-engineering-coming-of-age

Data Engineering Coming of Age by Dave Wells - Audio Blog

To survive and thrive in today’s information economy, organizations need to establish a compelling data strategy that advances the company’s key objectives and goals. This is not a job for the chief information officer or even chief data officer; it’s a task that the CEO must own and champion and assemble his best and brightest to execute. This audio blog examines the ten step methodology that Eckerson Group uses to help organizations create a data strategy.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/how-to-create-a-data-strategy-part-1-overview

Ten Steps To Create A Data Strategy by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Ethics is challenging because right and good are not always clear. More data, more kinds of data, and advanced analysis of data often conflict with concerns of data privacy, security, anonymity, and ownership. Resolving these conflicts requires acknowledgment, discussion, and the hard work of defining ethics-based policies and creating a culture of ethical conduct.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/data-ethics-the-new-data-governance-challenge

Data Ethics - The New Data Governance Challenge by Dave Wells - Audio Blog

With today’s unprecedented velocity of change in data and technologies, the single version of the truth (SVOT) is sometimes looked upon as a nice to have. But SVOT is not optional. Despite the difficulties in constructing a single version of the truth, it is now needed more than ever to keep CEOs happy and to stay compliant with new regulations like the GDPR.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/single-version-of-the-truth-not-optional

Single Version of the Truth - Not Optional by Stephen J. Smith - Audio Blog

Data pipelines become chaotic with pressures of agile, democratization, self-service, and organizational “pockets” of analytics. From enterprise BI to self-service analysis, data pipeline management should ensure analysis results are traceable, reproducible, and of production strength. Robust data pipelines rely on eight critical components.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/the-complexities-of-modern-data-pipelines

The Complexities Of Modern Data Pipelines by Dave Wells - Audio Blog

Data analysts who sit in each business function (i.e., sales, marketing, finance) are critical to the success of a self-service analytics strategy. The problem is that most data analysts don’t receive the training and support they need to be proficient with self-service data and analytics tools. The easiest way to improve the skills and satisfaction of most data analysts is simple: bring them together into a power user network.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/power-user-networks-the-key-to-self-service-analytics

Power User Networks - The Key to Self Service Analytics by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

We’re at the dawn of a new era in decision making made possible by the intersection of business intelligence and artificial intelligence. Rather than replace BI, AI will make BI more pervasive. AI-infused BI tools will be easier to use, generate more useful insights, and make business users more productive. Rather than replace human decision makers, AI will free them to focus on value-added activities and make decisions with data rather than rely solely on gut instinct.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/the-impact-of-ai-on-analytics-machine-generated-intelligence

The Impact of AI on Analytics - Machine Generated Intelligence by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

With all the hype and attention around big data and huge data platforms, there can sometimes be some data envy. There are still organizations and companies that don’t have big data: are they not poised for analytics too? Can they not get insights as well? The BI Pharaoh gives tips on how to work with your little data just like the big boys.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/little-data-needs-love-too

Little Data Needs Love Too! by Dewayne Washington - Audio Blog

A classic management practice dictates that a newly-appointed leader must accomplish certain things in their first 90 days. While some of this is general knowledge, there are specifics when it comes to Data Management and Analytics If you have been recently named to head any group that has to manage or facilitate the use of data, at any level in the organization, then this audio blog post is for you.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/what-do-you-do-first-after-being-hired-as-a-bi-analytics-data-engineering-director

First Steps for a BI or Analytics Director by Marc-Eric LaRocque - Audio Blog

A data analyst workbench will inevitably integrate data catalog, data preparation, and data analysis functionality. Data analysts don’t want to jump from tool to tool when executing a workflow that is both linear and iterative. Data analysts with this kind of workbench will be more productive and foster higher levels of reuse and data literacy.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/self-service-triumvirate-the-new-data-analyst-workbench

Self-Service Triumvirate - The New Data Analyst Work Bench by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

BI teams often work extremely hard but have little to show for their effort, and they can never get ahead of a continuous backlog of requests. The business rewards their hard work by reducing their budget and staff. Even if they know what needs to be done, they have little authority to make it happen. To succeed, BI leaders need to partner with the business and deliver quick wins to turn the tide of adoption in their favor.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/why-bi-teams-struggle-the-tipping-point-of-success

Why BI Teams Struggle - The Tipping Point of Success by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Recent technology developments are driving urgency to modernize data management. What do you do about architecture, modeling, quality, and governance to keep up with big data, cloud, self-service, and other trends in data and technology? Examining some best practices can spark ideas of where to begin.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/stepping-up-to-modern-data-management

Stepping Up To Modern Data Management by Dave Wells - Audio Blog

Processing continuous data streams is becoming increasingly important. However, traditional analytics architectures were often not built for real-time scenarios. This article will illustrate challenges and discuss how streaming-first approaches can change the way we think about analytics architectures.

Originally published at: https://www.eckerson.com/articles/streams-everywhere-towards-streaming-first-architectures

Streams Everywhere - Towards Streaming-First Architectures - Audio Blog

Last month, I attended Domo’s annual user conference for the first time. I came a skeptic, but left a believer. Domo has invested large sums of money to create a comprehensive data and analytics platform that scales to run small and medium-size businesses, and possibly large ones. Most importantly, it has a cadre of highly satisfied brand-name customers who want to extend the platform to support all business users and their analytic applications.

Originally published at: https://www.eckerson.com/articles/catching-the-domo-spirit

Catching the Domo Spirit - Audio Blog

New challenges to analytics platforms have prompted SAS to create new responses. The software giant responds with automation and decision support tools.

SAS Addresses Five Key Analytics Challenges - Audio Blog

Explore how data analytics leaders can balance the use of specialists and generalists.

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/specialists-or-generalists

Should a BI Leader Hire Specialists or Generalists? by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Although dashboards will never disappear, they will be radically transformed by artificial intelligence. They will become more intelligent, predictive, timely, and conversational.

Beyond The Dashboard - How AI Changes The Way We Measure Business - Audio Blog

The goal of self-service analytics is to empower business people to build their own reports, dashboards, and predictive models. If that happens, does your company still need a corporate business intelligence team?

Originally published at https://www.eckerson.com/articles/organizing-success-part-1-organize-bi-team

How to Organize a BI Team in the Age of Self Service by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Despite our reliance on reports, the state of reporting in most companies is awful. There are too many reports in too many locations created by too many different people and tools.

How to Master Report Sprawl by Wayne Eckerson - Audio Blog

Listen to data and analytics leaders share the secrets of their success. Wayne Eckerson, long-time global thought leader interviews guests who run data and analytics programs at Fortune 2000 organizations around the world. Tune in to stay abreast of the latest technologies, techniques, and trends in our fast-paced industry.

Eckerson Group Audio Blogs

Secrets of Data & Analytics Leaders