Data Empathy and Innovation - David Wendt - Making Better Decisions - Episode #32

In this episode of the Making Better Decisions podcast, Ryan interviews David Wendt, the Lead Data Scientist and Manager of Innovation and AI Governance at Sherwin Williams. David discusses his career journey, the challenges of using data for making better decisions, and the impact of generative AI. The conversation also touches upon the importance of empathy, communication, and storytelling in analytics, along with the need for data professionals to understand business operations. David shares practical advice for analysts and reflects on how his personal interests, such as tabletop role-playing and 3D printing, influence his professional approach. 

Key Takeaways:

• Understand Different Perspectives: Put yourself in the seat of your audience or requester to understand their perspective and needs.
• Practice Empathy: Develop empathy by actively listening and understanding the client's needs and perspectives. This builds better professional relationships.
• Effective Communication: Align your definition of storytelling with the client. Ensure that your data communicates clearly and supports actionable business decisions.
• Humility in Expertise: You don't need to prove your intelligence with complex data presentations. Instead, present insights in a clear and accessible manner that prioritizes the client's understanding.
• Balance Technical and Business Skills: Encourage data professionals to spend time with business teams to understand their operations better. This helps in aligning technical solutions with business needs.

Quote of the Show:

• “Data is not magic. We can do a lot of incredible-looking stuff, but there's a lot of work behind the scenes.” - David Wendt

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwendtphd/ 
• Website: https://corporate.sherwin-williams.com/us/en/our-company.html 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PpvYXoXjAYl8auDpmShYi 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-better-decisions-leaders-in-data/id1739178505 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5e2ec300-0c66-4e24-8b01-0586af60235c/making-better-decisions-leaders-in-data 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/making-better-decisions-leader-5672586 
• Transistor: https://www.makingbetterdecisions.live/episodes 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingBetterDecisions/podcasts 

Creators & Guests

Host

Ryan Sullivan

Producer

Rayanne Pruitt

What is Making Better Decisions: Leaders in Data?

Dive into the dynamic world where data meets decision-making! Hosted by Ryan Sullivan, a seasoned analyst, this podcast is your go-to resource for understanding how organizations harness the potential of data to drive strategic decisions. Join us every Wednesday as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of data-driven transformations, making every episode a journey toward smarter decisions and better outcomes. Making Better Decisions is proudly sponsored by Canopy Analytic, helping companies make better decisions using data.