Dos and Dont's for Data Analysts Relying on ChatGBT
Data analytics is filled with complexity. Anyone saying otherwise is selling products. Knowing the data sources, data sets, general lineage, and behavior of the numbers are table stakes for the average data consumer. We must know where our data comes from. Much like we need to know where our food comes from and how it's processed. Is it safe to consume?
Lately, I’ve heard many stories about early career folks with data analyst titles turning to ChatGBT for help because they don't know where to go with questions. ChatGBT should only be used when the output can be rigorously challenged, which can only happen if you have the foundational knowledge of how the output was generated. Here are some handy Do’s and Don’ts to remember before turning to ChatGBT.
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT, OPPORTUNITY TO PRE-ORDER!
After teaching informatics for seven years, I’ve got a new book coming out! Driving Data Projects.
It’s a love letter to my students and a guide to my fellow colleagues. Many employees seek out or are thrust into a series of responsibilities in data management for which there is little formal training. How they engage with data in those roles impacts the privacy and security of consumer data and overall risk to the company's bottom line. The problem?
They aren’t quite sure how data works or how to drive data projects, not really. Today, almost all projects involve data to some degree, yet the data aspect is not adequately addressed.
Resistance mitigation strategies
Change management wouldn’t be so hard if it weren’t for…the people. Open issues or objections left unresolved today cost time down the road. Suppose work starts before these concerns are mitigated. Stakeholders might get frustrated or begin to hold back their participation. Work produced might have difficulty getting implemented. Buy-in realizes impact.
There are three angles to consider. Addressing stakeholder resistance, achieving consensus on how deliverables are revised, and ensuring bi-directional feedback is balanced and actionable.
From Insights to Infrastructure: KPI Reports as Your Strategic Bridge
The synergy between analytics and Information Technology (IT) is more crucial than ever. As organizations strive for digital transformation, understanding the complex dynamic between these domains is critical to achieving strategic objectives. However, this relationship is not static; it's evolving in response to new tools and methodologies, governance requirements, and ethical considerations.
Understanding the tools facilitating this translation is critical to driving successful digital transformations and achieving strategic objectives. Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports are often a misunderstood yet critical bridge between analytics vision and IT execution.
Bridging the Gap: IT's Critical Role in the Data-Driven Enterprise
In his provocative 2003 Harvard Business Review article “IT Doesn't Matter,” Nicholas Carr argued that information technology (IT) had become a commodity, stripped of strategic advantage [1]. As a data translator working at the intersection of business, data, and IT teams, I find Carr's assertion not just misguided but potentially dangerous for organizations navigating today’s data-driven landscape. While Carr’s cautionary notes about overinvestment have merit, his core argument fundamentally misunderstands the evolving role of IT in modern enterprises.
Profiles in Craft: Annie Lennox
AMBIDEXTERITY 101
To grow and innovate, we must successfully manage in between short- and long-term planning, fast and slow thinking, and certainty and uncertainty. We must learn to manage the tension between two poles.
Profiles in Craft: Patti Smith
ADAPTABILITY 101
We must pivot between two modes in any situation (when it is needed). To hold our certainty or experience lightly to learn is the ultimate expression of adaptability.
Profiles in Craft: Maya Angelou
AWARENESS 101
Always be observing. Maintain an open mind. Be eager to improve. Increase awareness, increase choices, and ability to connect with others.
Profiles in Craft: Meryl Streep
AGILE 101
The ability to perform consistently in any setting.