Is it time for everyone to be data literate?
Is it time for everyone to be data literate?
Episode 002
Data literacy is a fast-growing topic. But what is it? And why should organizations care?
So what is this new concept we’re hearing a lot about these days? Data Fluency or Data Literacy is getting a lot of buzz right now. What is it and why should i care?
We describe it as: Framing problems, applying data, making data-informed decisions, and being able to communicate with data (through storytelling, or data visualization).
Another key aspect of a good data user that isn’t taught in textbooks or online coding classes? Empathy. The ability of the data user to understand the needs of her audience, craft the right narrative and deliver the right answer to the right person at the right time. You may even consider putting empathy in your job descriptions going forward!
So is data literacy only for analysts and data scientists? Absolutely not! We think product teams can benefit from using data. We think HR teams, Finance teams, Operations teams, Sales teams and Marketing teams can all benefit from data literacy. It’s a tool in your toolbelt to help you become a better marketer, finance leader, or product owner.
We would be remiss if we didn’t share a few of our favorite resources for further study. First, there’s Cole Nussbaumer’s fantastic blog Storytelling with Data. We also love Kate Strachnyi’s Story by Data blog. And check out Jane Crofts’ company, Data to the People who are building data literacy assessments for organizations all over the world!