Welcome to the first post in a series about building a data culture and how Power BI can help you create that culture. In this post, we’ll introduce you to Berry Wand, a newly appointed Cheif Data Officier for Pontypandy Police Force (If you’re wondering where you have heard that before, think Fireman Sam. It is the village in South Wales, the home of fireman Sam).

This post will introduce you to Berry and her new role. Then, explain what building a data culture involves and where to start, and we’ll look at some of the challenges people can encounter.

In subsequent posts, we will provide a step-by-step guide for building a data culture. We will also examine how Power BI can support and foster a data culture.

Let’s start by looking at and defining the role of a Chief Data Officer (CDO).

What is a Chief Data Officer (CDO)

A Chief Data Officer (CDO) is an executive-level position in an organisation responsible for managing, protecting, and leveraging the organisation’s data assets. The CDO is typically responsible for developing and implementing data strategy, ensuring data quality, overseeing data governance, and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. The CDO may also be responsible for identifying and implementing new technologies and tools to support data management and analysis and leading efforts to integrate data from disparate sources and analyse it to derive insights and drive decision-making. The CDO may work closely with other executives, such as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and with business leaders throughout the organisation.

I’m giving you this definition here as the leading character in our story is Berry Wand, who has just secured her first Chief Data Officer role.

Berry Wand is our Chief Data Officer

I like to turn my content into a bit of a Story, with characters experiencing real-life problems that you might be experiencing too and can resonate with the issues facing my characters. All characters and organisations used in my content are fictional. So with that said, let me introduce you to Berry Wand.

Berry Wand was feeling upbeat, positive and motivated. She had just secured her first Chief Data Officer Role for Police Force in Wales in the UK. So we’ll pinch the fictional police force of Pontypandy from my son’s favourite cartoon on TV. Fireman Sam. Berry works as the CDO for Pontypandy Police (PPP).

As the Chief Data Officer for a leading police force, she was responsible for creating a data-driven corporate culture. She feels she has all the tools she needs to make it happen. But she needed to figure out where to start; she had a vision, but it was the implementation and delivery of that vision that she needed help with.

Building a data culture where to start

The theory behind creating a data culture is easy. It is the practical implementation that can prove challenging. Building a data culture really means changing the organisational culture. Changing culture might sound like a big thing to change, and in all likelihood, it is a big change.

Organisation culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, behaviours, customs, and practices that shape the behaviour of individuals within an organisation. Organisational culture is the collective personality of the organisation and how it influences how people interact with each other, how decisions are made, and how work is done. Organisational culture is often referred to as the “way things are done around here. “Has anyone ever told you, “That’s not how we do things around here”? I bet they have

Organisational culture can be influenced by various factors, including the history and values of the organisation, the leadership style, the nature of the work, and the external environment, amongst other things.

A strong positive organisational culture can lead to a more engaged and committed workforce, improved productivity, and better outcomes for the business. On the other hand, a negative, harmful or toxic culture can lead to high turnover, low morale, and poor performance.

So organisational culture can have a real influence on the business.

Data Culture means Cultural Change.

Building a data culture can often mean changing the culture of the organisation or business. Changing organisational culture can be a complex and challenging process. It definitely will take time and persistence, but it is possible with the right approach and commitment from senior leadership.

Changing organisational culture

I don’t want this post to trivialise changing organisational culture. These high-level steps are listed here, and each step might need lots of concerted effort over a sustained period. Changing organisational culture is not quick, but the high-level steps that can bring organisational change are listed here. For example, if you change your business culture to a data culture, the business can use its data better.

The high-level steps depicted in the can help change an organisation’s culture, large and small.

• Assess the current culture: Conduct an assessment to understand the key values, beliefs, and behaviours that shape the organisation. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, and observing behaviours and practices.
• Identify the desired culture: Identify the desired culture that the organisation wants to achieve. This can be done by defining the organisation’s values, vision, and mission statement.
• Develop a plan: Develop a plan to change the culture, including specific actions and initiatives that will help shift behaviours and practices in the desired direction.
• Involve employees: Involve employees in the change process by seeking their input, engaging them in discussions about the desired culture, and encouraging their participation in culture change initiatives.
• Lead by example: Leaders must lead by example and model the desired behaviours and practices. This can involve changing leadership styles, communication methods, and decision-making processes.
• Training and resources: To help employees develop the skills and knowledge needed to operate in the desired culture. This can include training on new technologies, communication skills, and conflict resolution.
• Monitor progress towards the desired culture and adjust the plan as needed.
• Celebrate successes and recognise employees’ efforts to contribute to the change process.

Changing organisational culture requires a sustained effort over time. Therefore, it is essential to focus on the desired culture and continue to take action to shift behaviours and practices in the desired direction. By following these steps and being committed to the process, organisations can change their culture and create a more positive and effective work environment.

 Specific Data Culture Challenges facing CDOs

So we have established that building a data culture is really changing organisational culture. Bring this back to Berry and her CDO role at Pontypandy police. She has encountered some specific issues when changing organisational behaviour to be more data-driven.

Here are some of the challenges Berry has faced since taking up her post:

• Lack of executive support: Building a data culture requires strong executive support, and CDOs may need it to get the resources and buy-in they need to succeed. The Chief Operating Officer who brought her in, her executive sponsor at the board level, left. We’ll leave the argument that a CDO should be at the board level for another day. Berry was in a situation where her executive support at the highest level of the organisation had left. Other senior leadership team members liked the idea but were less invested than the old COO.
• Resistance to change. Building a data culture can mean introducing change. Sometimes that change can lead to responses like “That’s not how we do things around here”. Berry has encountered this from several stakeholders. Changing organisational culture, change in general can be a complex and slow process, and some employees may be resistant to change or unwilling to adopt new technologies or practices. Berry will need to overcome some of this resistance if she will have any chance of success. 
• Siloed data: In many organisations, data is siloed and difficult to access or analyse. Different applications have different data stores on different technology. Suppose there is no data warehouse or master data. In that case, it can be difficult for CDOs to build a unified view of the organisation’s data or develop insights to inform decision-making.
• Data quality issues: Data quality issues, such as incomplete or inaccurate data, can undermine the credibility of data-driven decision-making and make building trust in the data challenging.
• Lack of data literacy: Building a data culture requires that employees have a basic level of data literacy, but many employees may need more skills or knowledge to analyse and interpret data effectively.
• Security and privacy concerns: Data security and privacy are important when working with data, and CDOs must ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect sensitive data.
• Limited resources: Building a data culture requires significant technology, training, and data governance investments. CDOs may need help to secure the resources they need to build a robust data culture.

Summary

So next in the series, we’ll see how berry deals with some of these challenges.

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