Culture snub: Shoddy data practices 'killing innovation'

Poor data culture is not only giving data-driven marketing professionals a major headache, preventing them from making smarter and faster decisions, it is also killing the curiosity, innovation, and productivity needed to drive their businesses forward.

That is the damning conclusion of a new Forrester analysis, “Your Data Culture Is In Crisis”, which is a deep dive into the consultancy’s 2023 Data Literacy and Culture Survey, published earlier this year.

It reveals that despite the deluge of emerging technologies, nearly half of professionals are still limited by basic barriers, like an inability to search for existing insights and a lack of understanding about where to go to find reports, datasets, and insights.

This means precious productivity time is wasted as users must hunt for datasets and navigate access work-arounds and department political pitfalls to gather materials for insights-informed decision-making.

For instance, when asked if they knew where to look to seek out existing dashboards, datasets, and insights, nearly half (46%) of respondents said they did not know or were uncertain where to find information at work.

Moreover, when asked if they knew where to go to ask questions or submit requests related to reports, datasets, and insights, a similar proportion (44%) indicated they did not know or were uncertain where to go to ask questions about information at work.

When asked if they worked in an environment where all employees can ask questions or raise issues related to data and insights in front of peers, nearly a third (31%) of respondents indicated they disagreed or were uncertain if they felt they could speak up without fear of consequences, indicating a lack of workplace psychological safety.

Finally, when asked if someone on their team was responsible for data literacy programmes and initiatives within the organisation, nearly half (46%) indicated they did not have a data literacy lead or were uncertain if they did.

Forrester senior analyst Kim Herrington said: “When employees don’t know where to find data, don’t know where to ask questions about data, or don’t feel safe challenging data, they can’t respond to those ad-hoc management responses for insights with speed, accuracy, and confidence.

“Gain competitive advantage by helping your employees locate, communicate, and create confidently with data, so they can operate at the top of their intellectual capacity. Incremental improvements to data culture can be made in all organizations no matter size, industry, or maturity level.

“Technology and data leaders should act now to benchmark their data culture and plot a course for insights resuscitation. With your leadership team, collectively identify a north-star goal of increasing employee curiosity and act with intention to repair or replace current data culture.

“This will allow leadership to turn potential energy into kinetic energy as employees are empowered to seek, solicit, and speak information in safe to share environments.”