Quartz Product Head on Team Building (Part 2)
When it comes to team building, data is only as good as your process. For example, we used our initial dataset to create a new video dashboard for the team. Right before the launch, we realized that it was completely wrong because people’s workflows were different. It’s important to have context on the data you are receiving and the state of the problem that you are trying to solve.
For example, I showed the video dashboard to a video analyst – and within seconds, they pointed to something that wasn’t making sense. This is where collaboration (C) is key to making your data work toward building solutions. Said differently, these are people who can be your “data champions” to promote the cause and work through troubleshooting.
In addition, these champions must command respect within your company. This ensures that you have advocates in every meeting that are driving home the importance of data. Furthermore, when you go through data validation, you need people who can talk to the data and outline why specific decisions are being made.
The next step is to distribute (D) or officially launch your new processes that are rooted in data culture. At Mashable, I took this step for granted because we already had internal tools ready to go that explained what we were introducing. However, aside from providing resources to your team, there’s a great opportunity to build a two-way dialogue that keeps everyone engaged.
As product leaders, we always look to get feedback from our users. Building culture around data is no different. You want to keep the conversation going to drive continuous improvement and optimize your backlog for enhancements. Establishing lines of communication within your team can build transparency and manage expectations about what’s coming next. In the end, we all know that changes in the data world can be very slow. This process keeps everyone on the same page.
Looking for Part 1? Click here to view.
Looking for Part 3? Click here to view.
About the speaker
A high-velocity self-starter with a demonstrated ability to set aggressive goals and lead teams to achieve them. Experienced in combining strategic insights and human-centered design principles to deliver high client and product value. Driven strategy and execution at various phases of the product lifecycle, from conceptualization and development to product launch, while managing engineering, design, and business teams.