Recently, I announced that after almost 20 years at Microsoft, I was moving to a new company and role. I’ve been in the Information Technology industry for over 40 years, and I believe that experience, combined with the various companies, organizations, and roles I have held, has led me to this place.
Why Straight Path Solutions
I am joining Straight Path Solutions as their Chief Data Officer (CDO). Straight Path has been, for many years, focused on one thing: Database Management and Data Reliability.
Mike Walsh, the founder and president, has vast experience in consulting in the data area, and he found that consulting companies that answer “yes” to every request don’t deliver the best results. Taking on every task doesn’t leverage the consultants’ strengths and can lead to a loss of focus on the deep skills clients truly need.
Mike and the entire team focus Straight Path on a straight path of database management and performance, and it shows in the results. Clients love the quality of the support and services they get, and they trust Straight Path to do the right thing.
Why Deepen the Focus
Mike and I spoke some time back about the need to deepen (not broaden) the scope of the services Straight Path offers. Clients have often approached Mike and the team for guidance on dealing with their data in general – not just their SQL Server database issues because they trust the knowledge and integrity they receive from Straight Path.
So Mike and I discussed the need for two things: Increasing data-driven-decisions at Straight Path itself with the data their proactive and monitoring tools collect for their over 100 clients, and assisting clients with trusted experience to do the same in their companies and organizations.
What is a Chief Data Officer (CDO)?
A Chief Data Officer (CDO) sits in the C-suite and is the executive who makes sure data drives business value. They set the strategy and rules, from how data is created and stored to how it’s accessed and secured. In most companies, the CDO also designs and directs analytics and AI efforts to turn data insights into real-world actions. This puts them right at the center of business, technology, and risk, formally owning data governance, quality, and encouraging a data-driven culture. Essentially, they’re responsible for treating data as a vital company asset, coordinating the people (owners, stewards, custodians) who manage it across the organization. They often work in close cooperation with the Chief Technology Officer in a company, and in some cases the CTO also acts as the CDO. The more important the data is to an organization , the more important a strategic approach to managing and leveraging it is. I think data is important to every organization, Mike talked about this in his post on his own epiphany about the role of the data advocate this week.
CDO as a Service: Strategic Guidance Without the Full-Time Cost
Many companies cannot afford a full-time executive-level position, even with the benefits from the role. And their Data Estate is of a size where constant strategic oversight isn’t necessary. However, they do need a strategic focus for their data, both at the initial design phase and periodic course corrections. Working closely with the client’s team to create that strategy together is where we fit in.
It’s important to note that the CDO doesn’t try and do all of the hundreds of tasks associated with these strategies. In most cases, they leverage internal teams and trusted partners to get specific expertise on the ground. I’ve had the immense honor of working with some of the best in the industry. We’ll leverage these folks along with internal teams at the client, as well as with their trusted partners to implement the data strategy we create together.
Our Initial Offerings
After coming on board and piloting various data strategies at Straight Path Solutions with all of the data they collect and utilize in their proactive reports, monitoring tool, client managemetn tools, and other data sources, we will offer three broad categories of engagements with clients: A full Data Estate audit, A breach or outage response, and future-facing efforts such as “do we really need AI?” and “Are we compliant, secure and resilient?”
We’ll likely broaden these offerings to clients not currently engaged with Straight Path Solutions, after an initial meeting to ensure the best relationship. Mike and his team have worked hard to create and maintain a strong reputation, and we want to go slowly and deliberately into these relationships for the best outcomes. “Move fast and break things” are great for smartphone delivery apps and toy projects, but strategic direction is the opposite, and the select few organizations we work with on these opportunities will benefit from our deliberate approach, experienced hand, and commitment to living up to the Straight Path values.
What’s Next?
You’ll hear more from me soon. You’ll see me at various conferences again (the first being Live 360 – one of my favorites), and I’ll be blogging again, here at Straight Path Solutions. Contact me here if you have questions about data strategy. Subscribe to our newsletter below to look for monthly content to help DBAs, CTOs, and Data Professionals of all stripe grow in this world and learn from us as we go.
