If I can make a choice between a self checkout and a cashier at a store, I will choose the cashier. I am saying this because I am not someone who is looking for digital experiences or strive to reduce human interactions through technological tools. On the contrary, the technology should exist solely to improve our human experience. Meanwhile, I spent most of my working life in front of. a computer. My first gig was to teach the graphic designers and art directors how to use graphics software like Aldus Freehand, QuarkXPress, Typestyler, etc. back in 1993 where I slowly learned graphic design, page layouts, fonts, color theories, etc. I was a blank slate back then and was hungry for anything new, and the world of marketing and advertising was it.

Fast forward to 2015, my then employer wasn’t doing great financially, Chinese manufacturers were taking over the market, our backs were against the wall, and honestly I wasn’t finding much fulfillment in the work I was doing nor seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The only place where there were good news was in the booming technology sector. As you may have already guessed, I decided to move away from the boring old job to the new shiny technology world. Probably the best decision I made.

Why am I talking about my boring life?

I meet with people in my line of work who need the help of technology to bring their businesses to new heights, who are also reluctant in making any changes. They are sometimes too invested in their old ways, sometimes they believe there is not enough time or budget to make the changes, and sometimes they are simply afraid of the new and in their ability to adapt. And in some cases they are at a point in their career where they are considering an exit strategy, be it a retirement or closing their business.

Technology without data is practically useless. It’s only when we introduce data into the arteries of technology then we see the benefits. For this reason any organization looking to transform their businesses must start with training their teams on data literacy. I am not saying we should all become data analysts or data scientists, although those are great skills and certainly would recommend anyone, but we should all understand the basics of data by learning about data handling, data hygiene, data governance, and even data types.

With the data basics in place, organizations and individuals can get themselves better positioned to tackle the challenges that come with any digital transformation. And for those who are scared of changes, starting with the data basics will give you that boost you are looking for to undertake the transformational changes that might be coming your way.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you have any comments or questions please do reach out to me via the form below. I’d love to hear your take on the digital transformation, and how best to tackle it in organizations that are rooted in tradition.