How CIOs distill the most sought-after data skills

Rao says the search for people who could turn information into insight 15 years ago might have been centered on Excel expertise. Today, his business—like 30% of digital leaders in Foundry’s research—is prioritizing on the hunt for talented data scientists.

Marc Jennings, CIO of analytics and AI at holiday firm TUI, says data science skills, such as Python, SQL and R, are high on his most-wanted list. Yet he also recognizes that technical skills are just one element of well-rounded data professionals.

“What we recruit for at TUI is not just the skills, but also the attitude,” he says. “We look for curious people who keep asking, ‘Why?’ I want people who are going to get to the bottom of the challenge. Technical skills are fine, but you’re only going to help me so much.”

That’s a sentiment that chimes with Daniel Smith, global head of analytics and insights at clothing brand Pangaia. He sees a lot of candidates who are strong from a back-end point of view. But where they’re weaker is in data visualization, and the increasing connection between IT and business means that lack of proficiency is an issue.

“The business functions are going to come up with questions,” says Smith. “If your expertise is all on the data science side and not in visualization, there’s not going to be many people in the business who will get what you’re talking about.”

Bob Michael, head of data at retailer DFS, is another digital leader who wants great communicators. Yes, he has strong data management and analytics capability internally, but he also needs these technology specialists to be the curators of data and datasets.

Success is all about providing the right tools to people in the business so they can dip into trusted data sources and answer their own questions quickly and effectively. “Basically, I don’t want a large team of 400 people,” says Michael. “I want to shape the way people in the business use data. Ultimately, data must be just part of the business. I’m not looking for data scientists and statisticians who cannot communicate because they can’t help my cause from a data management point of view.” 

Helping the business to help itself

And there’s the rub: the key to turning information into insight is ensuring people across the business have the tools and the confidence to work with data. Further proof comes from Foundry’s research, which suggests the most important data skill for digital leaders is analytics training for non-IT staff, noted by 41% of survey respondents.

Mary O’Callaghan, director of technology engagement at British Heart Foundation, says the best way forward is for data executives and their teams to take a collegiate approach. Data professionals, such as CDOs, analysts, scientists and engineers, must work alongside their business peers to help them exploit information.

“Before people start thinking about how they use Power BI, they need to know how to ask the right questions,” she says. “Sometimes I think it’s just about confidence because, in their functional areas, people are very confident and they know what they’re doing. I think we need to let people in the business ask questions and then work with them to find answers.”

That’s a sentiment that resonates with Caroline Carruthers, former CDO for the UK’s Network Rail, and now CEO of Carruthers + Jackson. Her consultancy firm’s recently released Data Maturity Index reports that almost two-thirds of data leaders believe most or almost all employees in their organization are not data literate.

That’s a problem because enterprises with strong data literacy are most likely to understand that information is not just the preserve of specialist data teams. Carruthers says digital leaders must work to build an organization-wide data culture.

“Less is often more when it comes to data,” she says. “Using data effectively isn’t just about numbers. It’s the other things that we can tell people—it’s the insight and the guidance. It’s about creating a smart pile of data for people to stand on so they can do their jobs better.”

What’s clear, says Ashley Cairns, delivery director at Carruthers + Jackson, is that the importance of being able to turn information into insight is only going one way: upward. So, whether you’re a back-end engineer or a front-end customer service specialist, everyone in the business must develop a mature approach to information.

“Data is going to be a part of your everyday working life,” she says. “Success is about giving everyone critical thinking and the ability to provide context to the story that they’re telling.”