In this episode of Data Matas, host Aaron Phethean and his guest Stéphane Burwash dive deep into what it takes to build a true data-driven culture. Recently promoted to Data Engineering Lead at Potloc, Stéphane shares his thoughts on building trusted analytics, where quality data is at the foundation. The conversation digs into the hot topics of AI and self-service analytics - and questioning their relevance - as well as the application of modern technologies such as Meltano and BigQuery and "the separation of church and state" in the data space. Not only that but the two touch on the importance of the people element and emphasise the need for open and honest stakeholder management in an organisations journey to data excellence.
Takeaways
- Stéphane started his data engineering journey alone, relying on community support.
- Building a community is crucial for learning and growth in data engineering.
- Potloc evolved from a market insights company to a data-driven organization.
- Navigating data engineering challenges requires asking questions and seeking help.
- Stakeholder management is essential for successful data projects.
- Technologies like Meltano and DBT are integral to Potloc's data stack.
- AI is being leveraged to improve data quality and analytics processes.
- Self-service analytics can empower users but requires careful governance.
- Data quality issues often arise from a lack of awareness and communication.
- The role of a data practitioner is to maintain a big picture perspective.
Sound Bites
- "Ask questions, don't be afraid to learn."
- "Everybody has been in that position."
- "We shouldn't be trying to do the custom solution."
Chapters
00:00Introduction and Background of Potloc
04:43Role of a Data Engineer at Potluck
06:34Data Sources and Technologies Used
09:58Balancing Complexity and Impactful Work
15:30Working with BI Analysts and Data Modeling
23:46Focus on Data Quality and Maintenance
25:42Challenges of Data Quality and Data Integrity
36:12The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement
41:14The Concept of Self-Serve Analytics
43:25The Value of a Holistic Understanding of Data
47:14The Role of Data Practitioners
49:24The Value of Online Communities and Asking Questions
50:22Overcoming the Fear of Feeling Lost
50:48The Generosity of the Data Community
52:10Networking and Learning at Meetup Events
53:21Building Connections and Getting Insights
What is Data Matas?
A show to explore all data matters.
From small to big, every company on the market, irrespective of their industry, is a data merchant. How they choose to keep, interrogate and understand their data is now mission critical. 30 years of spaghetti-tech, data tech debt, or rapid growth challenges are the reality in most companies.
Join Aaron Phethean, veteran intrapreneur-come-entrepreneur with hundreds of lived examples of wins and losses in the data space, as he embarques on a journey of discovering what matters most in data nowadays by speaking to other technologists and business leaders who tackle their own data challenges every day.
Learn from their mistakes and be inspired by their stories of how they've made their data make sense and work for them.
This podcast brought to you by Matatika - "Unlock the Insights in your Data"