Paul Jones: Data, Strategy, Innovation

This is the sixth part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ Technology Snobs The next representative to speak clears his throat before he starts. He’s not joined by anyone else from his team and commences by announcing with a distinct air of pride that he leads the Infrastructure Maintenance team. His team is responsible for the upkeep of critical infrastructure and they directly protect the safety of everyone travelling and using the facilities across Data Insight Town. It turns out that the Infrastructure Maintenance team employs over two thousand infrastructure engineers, including a few of the only people that still understand some of the old materials and technologies that have been used to build the town. Initially you’re impressed. This team seems to be everything the Strategic Architecture team isn’t: it’s practical, delivery-focused and has a very strong s...

This is the fifth part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ “What a team!” Or should that be… “What team?” A meeting’s been organised with the leaders of each of your teams. Helpfully, representatives from some of the other architecture firms and building companies have also agreed to join. As you walk into the meeting room, you can feel the tension amongst the people gathered there. You smile broadly and say hello, walking in with as much confidence as you can muster to take a seat at the top of the long table that fills most of the room. The windows are open, but there’s no breeze and the room’s hot and stuffy. All of the seats are occupied, people crammed into the narrow gaps between the table and the walls, and there are a few people stood up at the back of the room. You can see one person leaning on the limp remains of a broken fan, wafting himself with a note...

This is the fourth part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ Don’t worry about the data losses What happens next is the most shocking and scary thing you’ve ever seen. There is a sudden, loud crashing noise above you. When you look up, you find yourself frozen to the spot, as a data car tumbles from the highway and plummets down a hole only three feet from where you’re standing. You feel the rush of air caused by the data car plunging past you, and watch in horror as the data person inside screams in terror before disappearing into oblivion. You’re gasping for breath as you look at the Head Builder and are stunned to see him gazing at you quizzically. He looks totally nonplussed by what he’s just seen. “What,” you wheeze, “just happened?!” “Oh that? That’s nothing. I mean, it’s normal. I mean, it’s pretty rare, in the grander scheme of things. Considering how many ...

This is the third part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ The sticky-plaster data bridge As you draw closer to the structure, you can see that it’s covered in what appears to be large plasters and bandages. You rub your eyes in disbelief. They literally look like the kinds of plasters you’d use if you grazed your knee, but blown up to a much bigger size and plastered all over it. You want to get a closer look, so ask: “Can you take me to the base of the structure, please?” The Head Builder nods in response to your request. “Boss, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you interested in coming down here? Don’t you just want to get to your office? That’s what all the other architects normally do.” You smile at the suggestion that you’d allow yourself to fall into that stereotype. “I need to see what’s actually going on, because otherwise I’m not going to know if our ...

This is the second part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ What’s going on?! You’re being driven in for your first day by your Head Builder. This is the first time you’ve been to Data Insight Town, and as you look out at the passing buildings and structures, your jaw drops. Buildings are crammed together in a total mish-mash of different shapes, sizes and styles. Some look high tech and well maintained and others look half-finished and derelict. At seemingly random intervals, the buildings and roadworks are interspersed with large data garbage heaps, which in some cases are spilling out into the road, slowing data traffic and causing data people to swerve dangerously to avoid them. One minute you can feel the car gliding along on a nice flat, high quality road, the next you’re bumping over makeshift data dirt roads, which act as rough connections from one smooth ...

This is the first part of the chapter titled “The Data Architecture Construction Project”, from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”. ______________________________ An exciting opportunity… or is it? You’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It’s the opportunity you’ve been training for and it’s a great honour. After many years of working in various different roles, working your way up the ranks and building experience across numerous positions, you’ve finally made it. What you don’t realise, just yet, is quite what you’re getting yourself into. Three months ago, you successfully completed the build of a new business estate on the outskirts of Master Data City. It used cutting edge new technologies and has become widely recognised as a masterpiece of data engineering. It’s become the catalyst for a total transformation of the fortunes of those living and working in the area and prompted a significant increase in investment in similar developments nearby. Fifty mil...

I'm happy to present in full, the  sixth chapter  from the book “ The Data Garden And Other Data Allegories ”, titled "THE DATA LITERACY DRIVING SCHOOL". ______________________________  The reluctant student You look over at your driving instructor and sigh.  Why do I have to do this again?  you think. Taking data taxis had always been fine before. This seems like it’s going to be a lot of effort, and for what? Your company’s enrolled you on a mandatory data literacy driving course. For years, data employees have been paying to use other people’s data cars to get places, but after a series of wasted journeys and large-scale data car crashes, there has been a decision to educate everyone on how to drive. Someone realised that if people didn’t know how to drive a data car, they wouldn’t be able to effectively direct a data taxi driver to get the best out of their journey. At this point, you’re pretty sure you’re never going to need to use these new skills that you...