Data Means Business

'I loved this book, so much of it resonates with me and is an articulation of my own journey of data discovery over the years. This is not just a book for chief data officers and data management leads as it says in the intro, this is a handbook for any and all CXOs who have responsibility for or an interest in data - and that is ALL of them.' Lorraine Waters, Chief Data Officer, Global Compliance, HSBC and Top 100 Global Data Power Women 2020 'There has been a gold rush recently of CDO handbooks to feed the professional development of CDOs and aspiring CDOs. Data Means Business is THE handbook, not just for the senior data leaders, but the whole executive team who need to get with the data programme. Perhaps then, they can catch up with the new kids on the block, who have data as their heart and brain.' Graeme McDermott, Chief Data Officer, Tempcover 'Intelligent, witty and insightful. Barry and Jason eloquently discuss the challenging nature of business with the complexity of organisational culture to beautifully illustrate a framework to release value and create advantage from data that you may already hold. A must-read for all navigating the perilous economy of a post-COVID-19 world.' Johanna Hutchinson, Director of Data and Data Science, Joint Biosecurity Centre, Test and Trace, Dept of Health and Social Care; DataIQ Top 10 Most Influential People in Data 2021 'A must-read for finance leaders to learn the latest thinking around data in business.' Patrick Marrinan, Finance Director, Pho (Restaurant Group) 'Data Means Business takes the reader through a practical journey, arming executives with a toolkit and clear guidance on how to succeed with data. The book avoids jargon and provides a path to embracing what data can mean for individuals, their organisations and future transformation that could mean the different between failure, survival and prospering.' Jagpal Jheeta, CIO across multiple industries including retail, logistics and financial services 'When a caterpillar turns first into a larva and then into a butterfly, it has realised its destiny. When a business first gets data and then becomes data-guided, it can transform its own fortunes. With the frameworks in this book, you can accelerate that evolution and shorten the time between enabling yourself with data and creating value. To steal a phrase, this book gives you wings!' David Reed, Knowledge and Strategy Director, DataIQ 'The next time someone in your organization tells you that your data strategy can wait, just refer them to this book. It's a compelling read for those leaders seeking to truly unlock the value of data and evolve their organizations. Data Means Business converts the readers into data advocates.' Gustavo Canton, Analytics Leader, Starbucks 'Those businesses that ignore the value in data, or just pay it lip service, either won't be around for long or won't realise their ambitions. Many firms just don't know how to go about this and this book is aimed squarely at tackling that problem. Data Means Business really gets to the heart of this incredibly important topic, does so in a clear and jargon-free manner and shows how organisations can approach the change in a structured way that will deliver sustainable results. A must read!' Darren Sharp, Group IT Director, Tokio Marine Kiln 'Jason and Barry leverage the benefit of years of experience across hundreds of professional data engagements to draw up a framework anyone can use to harness and drive the advantages of data-guided decision making. This focused and easily digested book should be on the shelf of anyone leading a data transformation. Merging deep-sector expertise and the lessons from lean start-ups, they present their Level Up Framework that is easy-to-follow, easy-to-communicate and, hopefully, an easier route to driving business value from their data asset.' Pete Williams, Data Evangelist and Top 100 influencer in data 'Data, like money, is the most important asset of any organisation. Sadly, the data profession is a newborn compared to its grandparent - the finance profession. Organisations are waking up to the importance of data, but the immaturity of the data sector means only an elite few are able to really grasp the opportunities. With this influential book, Jason and Barry have created an anchor guide for the profession. The authors are levelling up the playing field with this practical guide for all leaders who understand they need to create data capability, but don't know what good looks like. Just read this and you will.' Omid Shiraji, Portfolio Chief Information Officer 'Only a few evangelist and internal entrepreneurs know how to marshal all the right resources across the right dimensions and in the right way. However, by using the ideas in this book we can start to make broader and real change.' Devin Deen, Associate Partner, Servian 'Data is the lifeblood of an organisation; like cashflow, without it your organisation won't survive, won't grow and won't flourish. Understanding your data, and the ecosystem it moves within, gives you an opportunity to drive differentiation and gain advantage on your savannah. In this book, Barry and Jason provide a simple and easily understood way to start understanding and using data better. A must-read for all senior leaders.' Max Bailey, Director, Lace Partners and ex Accenture Partner 'A great guide which I would highly recommend to all Chief Data Officers, future Heads of Data and business leaders to help them on their data journey. Unlike some guides which use technical jargon readily, Data Means Business instead offers simple steps to deliver an effective data-led organisation.' Katie Hevey, Digital & Data Practice Leader, Leathwaite