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Hosts: Andy Clark, Tom Gough

Guest: Greg Bounds

Topic: Dealing With a Mess of Data Systems and Products

Key Points:

1. Introduction:

· Andy and Tom introduce Greg Bounds, who works as a data architect for a national nonprofit and also consults on data projects.

2. Defining the Problem:

· The discussion focuses on inheriting a complex data environment, termed a "dog's breakfast," with a mix of applications, systems, and databases.

· Tom emphasizes the challenges of dealing with multiple cloud providers and on-premises systems.

3. Scoping the problem:

· Start by talking to various stakeholders to understand the importance of different systems.

· Auditing and documenting the systems should follow naturally from these conversations.

4. Managing Stakeholder Priorities:

· Understand the challenge of balancing different departments' priorities and stresses the importance of understanding the entire data flow.

· Show the benefits of changes through small, manageable projects.

5. Technical Approach:

· Look for low-hanging fruit and opportunities to consolidate systems for quick wins.

· Simplifying the data architecture can de-risk the environment and reduce points of failure.

6. Benefits of Consolidation:

· Understand there may not be immediate cost savings, reducing the number of platforms simplifies governance and management.

· It also minimizes the need for specialized knowledge across multiple systems.

7. Planning for the Long Term:

· The importance of data governance and having a data team that is approachable and open to new solutions.

· Ensuring the data team has the right skills and capacity is crucial to maintaining a streamlined environment.

8. Key Takeaways:

· Communication with stakeholders and understanding their needs is essential.

· Focus on data quality and transparency, even if it means creating "snitch reports" to highlight issues.

· Look for quick wins to build momentum and show the value of changes.

· Engage the C-suite to drive adoption and support across the organization.

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