Hub & Spoken.

What's in this podcast?

In this episode, Jason talks to Rob Kellaway, Head of DataOps at Legal and General Investment in London. Rob has had an incredible career holding data consulting positions in companies such as Nationwide Building Society and HSBC Bank. 

Listen to this episode on Spotify, iTunes, and Stitcher. You can also catch up on the previous episodes of the Hub & Spoken podcast when you subscribe.

What are your thoughts on this topic? We’d love to hear from you; join the #HubandSpoken discussion and let us know on Twitter and LinkedIn.

If you would like to find more about this topic, view our on-demand webinar: Elevate Your Data Strategy with DataOps 

One Big Message

No data strategy can be effective as possible unless you have the DataOps in place to effectively plan and execute. These should seamlessly run side-by-side even if you have different personnel working on them. 

[00:35] The role of DataOps in delivering a successful data strategy

[05:00] Which of Rob’s three pillars of DataOps he feels is the most important and why

[09:02] Why DataOps and data strategy need to work as closely together as possible

[14:30] Where implementing DataOps is most worthwhile and which businesses need it the most

[20:40] How DataOps can help you prioritise elements in your data strategy and increase the value of resources used

[26:40] The landmines DataOps specialists need to avoid when working in a large enterprise

Be intentional

The role of DataOps should be to operationalise and increase the value and efficiency of data as it moves through the pipeline. The governance surrounding your data strategy should be light-weight and productive, rather than governance for governance sake. Trimming down your plan of execution and finding ways of making the process more efficient is where the important role of DataOps steps in. 

Unless there is an intentional plan of action, it can be incredibly difficult to execute an already difficult data strategy. One way that you can focus on your desired outcome is by looking at your end result and planning backwards. If you start by knowing what information your company needs, what data is worth understanding and how to go about collecting it, you will be less likely to get distracted with other ideas. 

Have a smooth transition

In today’s business landscape, it is common to see different teams siloed away from each other. In data, communication between DataOps and the teams implementing the data strategy is crucial due to the fast-paced nature of the work. By streamlining the communication between both teams you’ll be able to decrease the time it takes to implement changes and improve your systems. 

A culture of change

DataOps is a relatively new field that combines technology, data and business strategy to help companies better utilise their data. DataOps professionals need to understand the company’s goals and constantly identify what data has to be collected to meet those goals. Because of all the different areas that DataOps needs to monitor there is constant change. 

It can be a challenge to change certain elements of a data strategy if a business has been operating for many years. Try to foster a culture of change in your organisation and explain that work done in the field of data moves at an accelerated pace due to it’s omnipresent and almost real-time accessibility. Companies that don’t take advantage of this fact usually lag behind their competitors. 

Automation doesn’t always equal robots

The three main pillars of DataOps are automation, agile agenda and lead manufacturing. For many, automation almost seems like a dirty word that conjures up the notion of good, hard working people losing their jobs to robots. Automation, particularly in the field of data, isn’t about replacing people. Instead, think of ways in which automation can help to improve your work. Embrace it as a way to greatly enhance your team’s ability to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively. 

Automation isn’t just about using AI. It can also refer to the implementation of offline systems and workflows to help make life easier on your and your team. 

To summarise

Data is everywhere, and it is multiplying fast. Because of this the DataOps teams are often the ones that help keep data content manageable for everyone in a business. They provide insight on what information is being collected and how it relates to the company’s goals, making your DataOps team an indispensable asset in your data strategy. By allowing them to work alongside other teams within your company you can keep track and rapidly shift your data strategy as the needs of your company change.