Working with you

You have identified some kind of gap or requirement for help in your data strategy implementation. But you aren’t sure whether you need a little bit of help to get you going or more of a longer term engagement. Read this article to understand the different types of ways in which I could help.

4 boxes

As an ex management consultant, I can’t help but try to draw a picture to help explain something. Here, the ways of working fall into 4 broad different categories depending on whether your need is short term or longer term and also whether you are looking at a particular outcome or capability gap.

Project (short term, outcome focussed)

This is possibly the simplest way that I can work for you. You have a specific outcome in mind and need it to be completed in the next few weeks or months. Examples are:

• Help you review your data strategy and define the next steps in your data journey to deliver benefit in your business;
• Provide knowledge in technology, architecture and decision making to work with you on a strategic data architecture design;
• Review your data management policies and fill in some gaps;
• Kick start your transition from data compliance to data ethics.

All of the above can be scoped and delivered for a fixed price.

Retained (longer term, outcome focussed)

Some projects or initiatives that you run take more than just a few months. On those projects you may need some ongoing support or help, with the ability to complete a few extra pieces of work as required. These can be completed on a Retained basis, with an agreement on a certain number of days of work per week, month or quarter and a simple way to agree extra work as required. Some examples are:

• Ongoing support on your data platform project to attend project working groups and deep dive into specific issues as they arise in the implementation and testing;
• Quarterly reviews of your data ownership programme, with mentoring of data stewards along the way;
• Attendance at regular data analytics ideation workshops and supportive challenges of the resulting insights.

Interim (short term, capability focussed)

This is a very popular model, and is often enabled through the use of recruitment agencies. Typical interim roles last 3, 6 or 12 months. Here you will want me to be working pretty much full time and dedicated to your contract.

Fractional CDO (longer term, capability focussed)

I have a much longer post here to explain. This is particularly suited to organisations where small gaps exist in capability or capacity. You don’t need a whole person in an interim position, but you do recognise that you have a need something to support the current team.

Sometimes its a bit of each

Quite often you will have a requirement which requires a little bit of each of the above. A project engagement of work changes into needing some interim help, or a fractional CDO role morphs into a retained engagement. That’s not a problem, the key here is knowing that I can be flexible and support you in different ways.

Please get in contact with me to discuss your requirements.