"How do I start building my data capabilities?"
My answer to the above is, " All organizations to kick start your data journey, your first Proof-Of-Concept (POC) is important! It must 'WOW' your stakeholders as buy-in is VERY important. Secondly, the first POC must demonstrate that the Business VALUE is EXTREMELY LARGER than the costs."
To achieve the above, there are at least two critical realities we have to deal with.
1) Your data quality is going to be SHITTY!
Survival comes first! Data collection and management comes...among the last. Collect good quality data need planning and governance. Good quality data does not magically appear! Have that expectation and work within it. Why? Time is needed to plan and collect it good quality data, a resource that no organizations are willing to put in at all, unless they see value in it which is not the case, given that it is the first project.
Work within it!
2) Your newly hired inexperienced data scientist is not equipped enough to get you the IDEAL FIRST POC!
Nope! Most bootcamps and programs don't even teach scoping, how to move from a business question to a mathematical question through data. Scoping a suitable project will be a tall order, let alone scoping a project that is of good value (after minus the costs), getting relevant stakeholder buy-in, and sustaining the momentum to build data capabilities.
Get someone experienced to scope that first FEW projects, where possible.
With this in mind, you have a higher chance of sparking the data capabilities journey and sustaining it. :)
Thanks for taking the time to read till here. Please feel free to link up on LinkedIn or Twitter (@PSkoo). Do consider signing up for my newsletter too. If your business is keen on getting someone experienced to look at scoping suitable projects, can have a chat with me! :)