Digital transformation in 2019: The top five tips CDOs need to know

A confluence of technologies – including cloud, AI, ML, and IoT – and new business models disrupting the competitive dynamics of many industries are putting digital transformation at the top of boardroom discussions. While what digital transformation looks like may vary, one thread runs through all interpretations: the importance of data and data governance.

This puts the Chief Data Officer (CDO) front and center as companies digitally transform. Below are some tips that can help guide companies through the data strategy that must sit behind digital transformation.

1 – Improve access to data in the cloud to drive innovation

From a data management perspective, cloud architectures offer a variety of features–from multi-tenancy to content delivery networks–that enable easier access, re-use, and distribution of data. This can power software-defined automation as well as new DevOps approaches. Enabling the agile digital business to innovate, test, and scale quickly, while offering continuous uptime.

2 – Embrace AI and ML to analyze data at scale, while keeping an eye on transparency and the logic that underpins its analysis

By facilitating processes such as natural language processing, image and speech recognition, AI and ML have begun to automate tasks that previously could only have been performed by humans. Customer-facing applications such as Alexa, Google, Siri, and Cortana, achieve most instant-recognition, however, there is a myriad of use cases where AI/ML is used in the background to automate complex and/or large-scale data processing. Everything from automating insurance claims and optimizing financial models, to performing medical diagnoses.

It is vital that organizations using AI and ML techniques ensure tight oversight and an understanding of the data and logic underpinning that analysis. While neural networks were traditionally black boxes, the transparency of AI/ML decision-making is beginning to improve, which will be vital to support increased adoption.

3 – IoT is about to become bigger than ever; ensure your management of the data generated from these devices is robust and secure

The proliferation of data-gathering devices will provide an explosion of data to analyze, interpret, and ultimately guide business decisions–be prepared to manage this.