Data is the New Bullsh*t: Scott Taylor’s Inspiring Keynote at the Canada Big Data & Analytics Summit 2023

We enjoyed partnering with Scott Taylor – The Data Whisperer, to deliver an insightful session at the Big Data and Analytics Summit, Canada on why Data is the New Bullsh*t and how the way we talk about data is holding the industry back.

Scott Taylor opened his keynote by challenging the prevailing perception that data is the ultimate solution to every business problem. He highlighted the tendency for companies to focus on data-related initiatives such as data productization, data-as-a-product, data mesh, data interoperability, and more without understanding the underlying purpose.

Partnering with Infocepts, Scott is helping bridge the story gap between the worlds of business and analytics. In the keynote, he talks about the detrimental impact of buzzwords and jargon on effective communication around data and AI. He advocates pursuing “Truth before Meaning – Determine the truth in your data before you start to derive the meaning from it.”

He stressed the importance of understanding your enterprise data story before crafting compelling narratives with data storytelling, transforming it into a powerful tool for driving understanding, engagement, and decision-making. His book on this topic, “Telling Your Data Story,” provides nuggets of wisdom pulled from his experience working with organizations such as Nielsen, D&B, and more.

“The golden rule of data prevails – Do unto your data as you would have it do unto you. Good decisions made on bad data are just bad decisions you don’t know about yet,” commented Scott.

The keynote session drew a large audience eager to learn about his unique perspective on how to master the language of business data. By rethinking the way we talk about data, embracing storytelling, and fostering data literacy, one can break down barriers and unlock the true potential of data-driven decision-making.