
In Analytics, Look Beyond Last Mile and Think Last Twenty Nanometers Paid Members Public
The supply chain industry spends a lot of time worrying about the last mile. How do you ensure delivery to a customer’s front door happens reliably? Similarly, analytics teams puzzle over how to best deliver insights to their customers. Whether it is a discussion about how to visualise data,

Data Leaders: It is Not Who You Report To, but Who You Report To Paid Members Public
Alright data friends, let us conduct a little survey. Who here reports to the Chief Financial Officer? Or the Chief Information Officer? Maybe even the Chief Operating Officer? Surely not the Chief Executive Officer? Lucky you. Spare a thought for poor folks who report to someone other than a member

Unicorn Farming: Building Capabilities Against the Odds (Part II) Paid Members Public
As we reviewed in Part I [https://qstar.ai/unicorn-farming-building-capabilities-against-the-odds-part-i/], while there is much consternation about the current state of recruitment in data and analytics, the challenge is less than perceived. The world is changing slowly enough that companies have ample time to build the necessary capabilities to adapt, should

Retaining Talent: Proactivity Is Key Paid Members Public
In his book ‘Drive [https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Surprising-Truth-About-Motivates/dp/1594484805/]’, Daniel Pink discusses the key drivers of motivation in the workplace. In many ways, the three drivers he identifies also represent the reasons employees stay longer in their roles: * Autonomy: Our desire to be self directed and have ownership

Unicorn Farming: Building Capabilities Against the Odds (Part I) Paid Members Public
When data leaders meet at conferences, organisation structures are a key topic of discussion. Who do you report to? What teams do you have? And of course: how is your team resourced? This last question is usually met with an uncomfortable laugh followed by, “Our team’s headcount? With or

Data Visualisation for Drunks Paid Members Public
Two months ago, I wrote an article [https://qstar.ai/data-visualisation-no-tools-required/] reflecting on how data visualisation is not primarily about creating charts, but should instead focus on effective communication through visual means. Today, I want to share one of my favourite principles for designing impactful visualisations: eliminate complexity. Or as

How Long Will Human in the Loop Decision Making Remain Responsible? Paid Members Public
Fatal autonomous vehicle crashes [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_self-driving_car_fatalities] have consistently made front-page news. Journalists have mused whether we have become too complacent [https://insideevs.com/news/338543/test-shows-why-a-tesla-on-autopilot-might-crash-into-parked-car/] in accepting the capabilities of automated systems, or if our obsession with Artificial Intelligence has lead

The One Where Friends’ Least Popular Character Ended Up with the Sexiest Job of the 21st Century Paid Members Public
Although I did not watch the American sitcom Friends [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108778/] when it originally aired, I have since worked my way through its ten seasons over the course of two years. What is interesting is that while in some ways the show has not aged well