Our Chicago team gathered leaders in the data space to discuss the synergy between change management and data and analytics. Here are some key takeaways from the event.
February 10, 2023, Chicago, IL — Each quarter, Centric Consulting’s Data & Analytics team in Chicago hosts a community of interest to foster collaboration between high-level, data-minded executives. On January 19, we held our third in-person event at DePaul University’s iD Lab in Downtown Chicago.
This session focused on the relationship between change management and data and analytics and leveraging change to help organizations realize the promise of data projects. A group member and the Director of Strategic Initiatives at a leading technology products and services company led the conversation.
We covered a wide range of topics, with these three sparking the most discussion:
- The most impactful CDOs (and CDAOs) are change agents – CDOs need to understand the bigger picture of the organization and how data can and should influence its success. CDOs who understand data and the business impact and how to build a change network to achieve promised business benefits move past order taking and get a seat at the executive table.
- Expectations are set by the best of what we experience – Examples of excellence in data permeate our daily lives. Executives want the same ease of experience and trust in data to run their businesses as they have to run their lives. Data executives must find the right messages, expectations and possibilities for different stakeholder groups. They need to build strong buy-in and momentum at the management and executive levels.
- Know who you are trying to influence – Our community also discussed this theme at our inaugural panel discussion, summarized here. It bears repeating, this time with a slightly different lens:
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- Remember that different types of people consume information in different ways. Be intentional about how you present information to them. This applies to both getting projects approved and building solutions.
- Ultimately, you want solutions people will use in the context of their business. Consciously present information to help stakeholders manage and improve their businesses. Partner with change and user experience experts to ensure the information you present is accurate, timely, relevant, and easily usable for your audience.
During the gathering, community members shared their own experiences, both positive and challenging, relative to the intersection of change management and data. The conversation continued after the event as members shared a meal downtown, building both professional and personal bonds.
Centric Chicago’s Data & Analytics team will continue to co-host D&A Community of Interest events throughout the year. We gather once each quarter to break down topics such as data fabric, data privacy, data quality, cloud-native capabilities, real-world data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more. The group discusses real use cases around these topics and how our members are creating business value through information.
Are you a director-level or higher business leader in the Chicago area? Interested in getting involved in our D&A Community of Interest? Check out this link to learn more.
