Catalog & Cocktails: The Honest, No-BS Data Podcast

Field Notes: Six Data Trends We're Seeing Everywhere with Tim Gasper & Juan Sequeda Feb 19, 2025

Fresh from their travels meeting data leaders across industries, Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda share the six most compelling data trends they've encountered in the field. In this special episode, our hosts cut through the hype to reveal what's actually happening on the ground - from how companies are really using AI to surprising shifts in data governance. Join them for an insider's look at what's shaping enterprise data strategies right now, straight from their conversations with practitioners and executives.

Rethinking Data Governance for a Distributed World with Winfried Etzel Feb 13, 2025

What if data governance could be as natural as safety culture at an energy company? Data Governance Enthusiast Winfried Etzel challenges traditional notions of governance for the AI age, proposing a fresh framework through three crucial lenses: Data Negotiator, Director, and Accountant. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion about moving beyond compliance to build a culture where every data professional becomes a governance champion.

TAKEAWAYS - Rethinking Data Governance for a Distributed World with Winfried Etzel Feb 12, 2025

What if data governance could be as natural as safety culture at an energy company? Data Governance Enthusiast Winfried Etzel challenges traditional notions of governance for the AI age, proposing a fresh framework through three crucial lenses: Data Negotiator, Director, and Accountant. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion about moving beyond compliance to build a culture where every data professional becomes a governance champion.

How Data Governance Becomes Your Secret Weapon with Alexander Torrenegra Feb 06, 2025

Alexander Torrenegra, CEO of Torre.ai, reveals how data governance can be transformed from a constraint into competitive advantage. From his early days revolutionizing voice actor casting to now building AI recruitment solutions, Torrenegra shares candid insights on why true AI value lies not in copilots but in full pilots, and why transparency might surpass privacy. Pour yourself a drink and join Juan and Tim for an honest, no-BS conversation about the intersection of AI, data governance, and the future of recruitment.

TAKEAWAYS - How Data Governance Becomes Your Secret Weapon with Alexander Torrenegra Feb 05, 2025

Alexander Torrenegra, CEO of Torre.ai, reveals how data governance can be transformed from a constraint into competitive advantage. From his early days revolutionizing voice actor casting to now building AI recruitment solutions, Torrenegra shares candid insights on why true AI value lies not in copilots but in full pilots, and why transparency might surpass privacy. Pour yourself a drink and join Juan and Tim for an honest, no-BS conversation about the intersection of AI, data governance, and the future of recruitment.

Want to Be Data and AI-Driven? Start with the Basics...a Glossary! with Olga Maydanchik Jan 30, 2025

If an enterprise wants to be data or AI-driven, they can't skip the basics. Tim and Juan chat with Data Management Practitioner Olga Maydanchik about these essential foundations, including creating an Enterprise Business Glossary, building Data Quality Management processes, and other fundamental tasks that underpin successful AI initiatives.

TAKEAWAYS - Want to Be Data and AI-Driven? Start with the Basics...a Glossary! with Olga Maydanchik Jan 29, 2025

If an enterprise wants to be Data or AI-driven, they can't skip the basics. Tim and Juan chat with Data Management Practitioner Olga Maydanchik about these essential foundations, including creating an Enterprise Business Glossary, building Data Quality Management processes, and other fundamental tasks that underpin successful AI initiatives.

Data Teams Are Strategic, Not Just Technical with Lindsay Murphy Jan 23, 2025

Too many companies get caught up in the latest tools and technical details of managing their data. But what if they're missing the bigger picture? Pull up a chair as Lindsay Murphy chats with Tim and Juan about what happens when data teams break out of the technical box and become key players in business success. Discover why data isn't just about building systems – it's about making better decisions and driving your business forward.

TAKEAWAYS - Data Teams Are Strategic, Not Just Technical with Lindsay Murphy Jan 23, 2025

Too many companies get caught up in the latest tools and technical details of managing their data. But what if they're missing the bigger picture? Pull up a chair as Lindsay Murphy chats with Tim and Juan about what happens when data teams break out of the technical box and become key players in business success. Discover why data isn't just about building systems – it's about making better decisions and driving your business forward.

Data, AI, & Business Literacy with Jordan Morrow Jan 16, 2025

Join Tim and Juan in the Season 9 premiere of Catalog & Cocktails as they welcome Jordan Morrow, renowned author of "Be Data Literate" and "Business 101 for the Data Professional." Discover how anyone can develop essential data, AI, and business literacy skills in today's rapidly evolving landscape. Jordan shares practical insights on staying focused and making meaningful progress in your data journey, drawing from his extensive experience helping professionals bridge the gap between technical expertise and business acumen.

TAKEAWAYS - Data, AI, & Business Literacy with Jordan Morrow Jan 16, 2025

Join Tim and Juan in the Season 9 premiere of Catalog & Cocktails as they welcome Jordan Morrow, renowned author of "Be Data Literate" and "Business 101 for the Data Professional." Discover how anyone can develop essential data, AI, and business literacy skills in today's rapidly evolving landscape. Jordan shares practical insights on staying focused and making meaningful progress in your data journey, drawing from his extensive experience helping professionals bridge the gap between technical expertise and business acumen.

Season 8 Finale with Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda Dec 19, 2024

As Season 8 of Catalog & Cocktails comes to a close, Tim and Juan reflect on the conversations, breakthroughs, and trends that shaped the past episodes. From unraveling the complexities of data quality to exploring the future of AI, this recap dives into the standout moments, key lessons, and recurring themes from our incredible guests. Tune in for an honest, no-BS discussion on what we’ve learned this season—and a sneak peek at what’s coming next!

Live from DGIQ + AIGov with Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda Dec 12, 2024

Tim and Juan are live from DGIQ + AIGov with their Honest, No-BS takeaways on the latest topics. Is it the same old story, or is there something new to pay attention to? What’s actually working? What’s worth keeping an eye on? And what are the standout success stories? Tune in this week to find out!

Demystifying Meta Grid with Ole Olesen-Bagneux Dec 05, 2024

What’s the next big concept in the data world? Meet the Meta Grid—a decentralized architecture inspired by microservices and data mesh, introduced by Ole Olesen-Bagneux, O’Reilly author of The Enterprise Data Catalog. Spoiler: the Meta Grid already exists within your organization, and it’s not a technology! In this episode, Ole joins us to unpack what the Meta Grid really is (and isn’t) and why it’s poised to transform the way we think about enterprise data.

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TAKEAWAYS - Demystifying Meta Grid with Ole Olesen-Bagneux Dec 04, 2024

What’s the next big concept in the data world? Meet the Meta Grid—a decentralized architecture inspired by microservices and data mesh, introduced by Ole Olesen-Bagneux, O’Reilly author of The Enterprise Data Catalog. Spoiler: the Meta Grid already exists within your organization, and it’s not a technology! In this episode, Ole joins us to unpack what the Meta Grid really is (and isn’t) and why it’s poised to transform the way we think about enterprise data.

Stop Talking About Data Governance and Just Start Doing It! with Nicola Askham Nov 28, 2024

Why does data governance seem like all talk and no action? In this episode, Nicola Askham, The Data Governance Coach, joins us to break down the barriers to effective data governance. Learn why it’s essential for AI readiness, how to make the case for it in your organization, and practical steps to get started—even with just a spreadsheet. Tune in for honest, actionable advice on turning talk into tangible results.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

TAKEAWAYS - Stop Talking About Data Governance and Just Start Doing It! with Nicola Askham Nov 27, 2024

Why does data governance seem like all talk and no action? In this episode, Nicola Askham, The Data Governance Coach, joins us to break down the barriers to effective data governance. Learn why it’s essential for AI readiness, how to make the case for it in your organization, and practical steps to get started—even with just a spreadsheet. Tune in for honest, actionable advice on turning talk into tangible results.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

We Have Agency Over AI with Ethan Mollick Nov 21, 2024

Ethan Mollick, Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, dives into how we can shape the future of AI. Ethan explores why organizations need to rethink their approach to AI adoption, the importance of disciplined experimentation, and how imagination—not just technology—will unlock AI’s true potential. From understanding the psychology of LLMs to embracing R&D as an everyday practice, Ethan shares practical advice for making AI work for you, not the other way around.
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TAKEAWAYS - We Have Agency Over AI with Ethan Mollick Nov 20, 2024

Ethan Mollick, Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, dives into how we can shape the future of AI. Ethan explores why organizations need to rethink their approach to AI adoption, the importance of disciplined experimentation, and how imagination—not just technology—will unlock AI’s true potential. From understanding the psychology of LLMs to embracing R&D as an everyday practice, Ethan shares practical advice for making AI work for you, not the other way around.

Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

The Truth About Open Table Formats with Vinoth Chandar Nov 14, 2024

The data world is buzzing about open table formats and lakehouses, but what's the real story? Vinoth Chandar, founder & CEO of Onehouse, creator of Apache Hudi, unpacks the challenges of data siloes and vendor lock-in, and explains how open table formats are the key to unlocking true data flexibility and collaboration.

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TAKEAWAYS - The Truth About Open Table Formats with Vinoth Chandar Nov 14, 2024

The data world is buzzing about open table formats and lakehouses, but what's the real story? Vinoth Chandar, founder & CEO of Onehouse, creator of Apache Hudi, unpacks the challenges of data siloes and vendor lock-in, and explains how open table formats are the key to unlocking true data flexibility and collaboration.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

What is the Future of Data Catalogs? with Malcolm Hawker Oct 31, 2024

Malcolm Hawker, Chief Data Officer at Profisee and host of CDO Matters Podcast, recently sparked a heated discussion on LinkedIn about where data catalogs are heading. His view? Data catalogs today are being commoditized and we need to pivot from data management to knowledge management. Join Malcolm, Tim, and Juan as they break down this debate and explore what other data professionals had to say about this shift in thinking.
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Why we need to focus on Knowledge Management, NOW! with Andrea Gioia Oct 24, 2024

Andrea Gioia, CTO at Quantyca and Co-founder of Blindata, shares his insights on the real issues holding back data management. Spoiler: It's not the technology. Andrea discusses how the biggest challenges stem from people, collaboration, and the ways we handle knowledge. As AI continues to evolve, poor data management becomes an even bigger obstacle, making it clear that prioritizing knowledge management is more urgent than ever.

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TAKEAWAYS - Why we need to focus on Knowledge Management, NOW! with Andrea Gioia Oct 24, 2024

Andrea Gioia, CTO at Quantyca and Co-founder of Blindata, shares his insights on the real issues holding back data management. Spoiler: It's not the technology. Andrea discusses how the biggest challenges stem from people, collaboration, and the ways we handle knowledge. As AI continues to evolve, poor data management becomes an even bigger obstacle, making it clear that prioritizing knowledge management is more urgent than ever.

Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

Streamlining Data Value with Colleen Tartow, Ph.D. Oct 17, 2024

Can data alone solve your business problems? Colleen Tartow, Ph.D., Field CTO and Head of Strategy at VAST Data, doesn’t think so. In this episode, we explore why it’s crucial to focus on business questions and deliver reliable, high-quality data products. We’ll also break down how to avoid the tech hype and ensure your data strategy is aligned with real business needs. Join us for a candid discussion on data, AI maturity, and finding the true value behind your data initiatives.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

TAKEAWAYS - Streamlining Data Value with Colleen Tartow, Ph.D. Oct 17, 2024

Can data alone solve your business problems? Colleen Tartow, Ph.D., Field CTO and Head of Strategy at VAST Data, doesn’t think so. In this episode, we explore why it’s crucial to focus on business questions and deliver reliable, high-quality data products. We’ll also break down how to avoid the tech hype and ensure your data strategy is aligned with real business needs. Join us for a candid discussion on data, AI maturity, and finding the true value behind your data initiatives.

Enhance your listening experience at data.world/podcasts

The Power of Active Metadata with Mike Evans Oct 10, 2024

How can active metadata transform the way organizations manage and utilize data? In this episode, Mike Evans, Chief Innovation Officer at Amplifi, explores the often untapped potential of metadata to reveal insights from data usage patterns, optimize data ecosystems, and focus initiatives on what truly drives value.

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TAKEAWAYS - The Power of Active Metadata with Mike Evans Oct 10, 2024

How can active metadata transform the way organizations manage and utilize data? In this episode, Mike Evans, Chief Innovation Officer at Amplifi, explores the often untapped potential of metadata to reveal insights from data usage patterns, optimize data ecosystems, and focus initiatives on what truly drives value.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

Data Quality: The Key to GenAI Success with Kevin Hu Oct 03, 2024

What is the vital role of data quality in the world of GenAI? With data trust at an all-time high, Kevin Hu, CEO & Co-Founder of Metaplane, shares how businesses can prevent data mishaps and maintain the reliability needed for AI success. Is the hype around GenAI just a continuation of data trends from BI to ML, or does it demand a new approach? Find out in this week’s episode.
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TAKEAWAYS - Data Quality: The Key to GenAI Success with Kevin Hu Oct 02, 2024

What is the vital role of data quality in the world of GenAI? With data trust at an all-time high, Kevin Hu, CEO & Co-Founder of Metaplane, shares how businesses can prevent data mishaps and maintain the reliability needed for AI success. Is the hype around GenAI just a continuation of data trends from BI to ML, or does it demand a new approach? Find out in this week’s episode.

Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

Why Data & AI Needs to Embrace Interoperability with Dael Williamson Sep 26, 2024

Dael Williamson, EMEA CTO at Databricks, joins us to reveal how interoperability is the key to unlocking expertise, exchanges, and ecosystems. Tune in for an honest, no-BS conversation on navigating the complexities of data ecosystems—and how standardization, context, and interoperability can be leveraged to tackle organizational challenges.
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TAKEAWAYS - Why Data & AI Needs to Embrace Interoperability with Dael Williamson Sep 26, 2024

Dael Williamson, EMEA CTO at Databricks, joins us to reveal how interoperability is the key to unlocking expertise, exchanges, and ecosystems. Tune in for an honest, no-BS conversation on navigating the complexities of data ecosystems—and how standardization, context, and interoperability can be leveraged to tackle organizational challenges.
Enhance your listening experience with C&C Chat at data.world/podcasts

Responsible AI with Mariam Halfhide Sep 19, 2024

Responsible AI, what is it and who is responsible when it comes to AI? Mariam Halfhide, Responsible AI Expert at Xebia and former C&C guest, is here to discuss the answers with Tim and Juan on this week's episode.
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TAKEAWAYS - Responsible AI with Mariam Halfhide Sep 18, 2024

Responsible AI, what is it and who is responsible when it comes to AI? Mariam Halfhide, Responsible AI Expert at Xebia and former C&C guest, is here to discuss the answers with Tim and Juan on this week's episode.

The Five Laws of Data Enablement with Amalia Child Sep 12, 2024

Amalia Child, Data Manager and Librarian, joins us to explore how librarians have evolved in the digital age—trading shelves of books for data repositories. We’ll discuss her post “The Five Laws of Data Enablement: How the father of library science would make his data team indispensable” and why library science is essential in data organizations.

TAKEAWAYS - The Five Laws of Data Enablement with Amalia Child Sep 12, 2024

Amalia Child, Data Manager and Librarian, joins us to explore how librarians have evolved in the digital age—trading shelves of books for data repositories. We’ll discuss her post “The Five Laws of Data Enablement: How the father of library science would make his data team indispensable” and why library science is essential in data organizations.

Building Diversity in Data with Dawn Carter Sep 05, 2024

How can we create a more inclusive workplace and data infrastructure? Dawn Carter, Enterprise Data Architect at BAE Systems, joins us this week to explore the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and data management. Together, we'll discuss actionable strategies for integrating these principles into change management and driving meaningful transformation in the data world.

TAKEAWAYS - Building Diversity in Data with Dawn Carter Sep 04, 2024

How can we create a more inclusive workplace and data infrastructure? Dawn Carter, Enterprise Data Architect at BAE Systems, joins us this week to explore the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and data management. Together, we'll discuss actionable strategies for integrating these principles into change management and driving meaningful transformation in the data world.

Humanizing Data Strategy with Tiankai Feng Aug 29, 2024

What does it mean to humanize data strategy? Tiankai Feng, Data Strategy & Governance Lead at Thoughtworks Europe and author of Humanizing Data Strategy, stops by to discuss the often-overlooked human side of technology and why it's crucial for data strategy & governance. While many companies struggle to prioritize the people aspect in their tech initiatives, Tiankai has a solution with the 5 C's - Competency, Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, and Conscience.

TAKEAWAYS - Humanizing Data Strategy with Tiankai Feng Aug 29, 2024

What does it mean to humanize data strategy? Tiankai Feng, Data Strategy & Governance Lead at Thoughtworks Europe and author of Humanizing Data Strategy, stops by to discuss the often-overlooked human side of technology and why it's crucial for data strategy & governance. While many companies struggle to prioritize the people aspect in their tech initiatives, Tiankai has a solution with the 5 C's - Competency, Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, and Conscience.

Who is doing the Data Product Management work? with Anna Bergevin Aug 22, 2024

Anna Bergevin, Sr. Product Manager at ResMed, brings her honest no-bs takes about data product management work and who should be doing it. We will discuss her path into data product management and how she is using AI to be productive and try new things!

TAKEAWAYS - Who is doing the Data Product Management work? with Anna Bergevin Aug 22, 2024

Anna Bergevin, Sr. Product Manager at ResMed, brings her honest no-bs takes about data product management work and who should be doing it. We will discuss her path into data product management and how she is using AI to be productive and try new things!

We need your Honest No-BS Feedback! What should we do next? Jun 03, 2024

Thanks to all Catalog & Cocktails #honestnobs data podcast listeners who have been following us for 4 years. Tim and Juan are going to take a break for a few weeks to brainstorm what’s next, and we would appreciate your honest no-bs feedback! We would love your input:

- What new topics should we cover?

- What topics should we dive into?

- Should we have a new format (e.g panel, debates)?

- Who would you like to see as a guest?

Reach out to us on LinkedIn or email juan@data.world to share your feedback!

What is AI Ops with Brandon Gadoci May 23, 2024

AI Ops is a new and upcoming role focused on understanding and improving the business process by using AI. In this episode, Brandon Gadoci, VP of AI Ops at data.world shares his experience on how to get started and what are the opportunities for the business.

TAKEAWAYS - What is AI Ops with Brandon Gadoci May 22, 2024

AI Ops is a new and upcoming role focused on understanding and improving the business process by using AI. In this episode, Brandon Gadoci, VP of AI Ops at data.world shares his experience on how to get started and what are the opportunities for the business.

4 Years of our Honest No-BS Podcast, Live from Gartner D&A Summit in London May 17, 2024

We can’t believe it’s been 4 years since the start of Catalog & Cocktails! In this episode, Tim and Juan will reminisce on 4 years of the podcast, reflect on developments in the data world, and share takeaways from Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in London. We'll also close with tips for those looking to start their own podcast.

Everything you wanted to know about Knowledge Graphs but were afraid to ask with Ora Lassila May 09, 2024

Knowledge Graphs are gaining more and more attention due to their role of structuring data and knowledge and providing accuracy for LLMs through GraphRAG. In this episode, we are joined by Ora Lassila, one of the “fathers” of RDF graphs and semantic web, which are the foundations for modern knowledge graphs, where we will dive into the questions you’ve always wanted to ask but haven’t.

TAKEAWAYS - Everything you wanted to know about Knowledge Graphs but were afraid to ask with Ora Lassila May 08, 2024

Knowledge Graphs are gaining more and more attention due to their role of structuring data and knowledge and providing accuracy for LLMs through GraphRAG. In this episode, we are joined by Ora Lassila, one of the “fathers” of RDF graphs and semantic web, which are the foundations for modern knowledge graphs, where we will dive into the questions you’ve always wanted to ask but haven’t.

Leadership transformation in this Data and AI world with Sol Rashidi May 07, 2024

CDO, CDAO, CAIO, CIO, CTO! Oh my, it's a cluster! Sol Rashidi joins Tim and Juan to help navigate this cluster, sharing honest no bs advice from her vast experience in the Data and AI world. If you are a leader, or a practioner aspiring to go to leadership, this is the must listen episode!

TAKEAWAYS - Leadership transformation in this Data and AI world with Sol Rashidi May 07, 2024

CDO, CDAO, CAIO, CIO, CTO! Oh my, it's a cluster! Sol Rashidi joins Tim and Juan to help navigate this cluster, sharing honest no bs advice from her vast experience in the Data and AI world. If you are a leader, or a practioner aspiring to go to leadership, this is the must listen episode!

Demystifying Vector Databases with Bob van Luijt Apr 25, 2024

When you think about Gen AI applications, one of the first things that comes to mind is Vector Databases as part of the stack. In this episode, Tim and Juan chat with Bob van Luijt, co-founder of Weaviate, to demystify Vector Databases.

TAKEAWAYS - Demystifying Vector Databases with Bob van Luijt Apr 25, 2024

When you think about Gen AI applications, one of the first things that comes to mind is Vector Databases as part of the stack. In this episode, Tim and Juan chat with Bob van Luijt, co-founder of Weaviate, to demystify Vector Databases.

Crawl, Walk, and Run on How to be AI Ready with Peter Kromhout and Mariam Halfhide Apr 18, 2024

Everyone wants to be doing AI and we know that data is at the center. So, how do we become AI Ready? Tim and Juan chat with Peter Kromhout and Mariam Halfhide from Xebia to discuss strategies and techniques to become AI Ready.

TAKEAWAYS - Crawl, Walk, and Run on How to be AI Ready with Peter Kromhout and Mariam Halfhide Apr 17, 2024

Everyone wants to be doing AI and we know that data is at the center. So, how do we become AI Ready? Tim and Juan chat with Peter Kromhout and Mariam Halfhide from Xebia to discuss strategies and techniques to become AI Ready.

Who’s buying Data Catalogs and Why? with Neil Burge Apr 11, 2024

Neil Burge has been researching who’s been buying data catalogs and why. His LinkedIn posts are a gold mine for data practitioners, leaders and vendors. In this episode, Tim and Juan chat with Neil to go over his research, learnings and recommendations for the data industry.

TAKEAWAYS - Who’s buying Data Catalogs and Why? with Neil Burge Apr 10, 2024

Neil Burge has been researching who’s been buying data catalogs and why. His LinkedIn posts are a gold mine for data practitioners, leaders and vendors. In this episode, Tim and Juan chat with Neil to go over his research, learnings and recommendations for the data industry.

Data Security and AI: How to get them on the same page with Jesse Sedler Apr 04, 2024

Data governance and security may be scary and hard, but with the right solutions in place, data teams can enable the right balance between security and usability to drive their businesses forward!

TAKEAWAYS - Data Security and AI: How to get them on the same page with Jesse Sedler Apr 03, 2024

Data governance and security may be scary and hard, but with the right solutions in place, data teams can enable the right balance between security and usability to drive their businesses forward!

Live from Data Council Austin: what’s your honest no-bs take of the data world? Mar 28, 2024

Tim and Juan will be attending Data Council Austin and will be live interviewing anyone who wants to be interviewed! One question: what’s your honest no-bs take of the data world?

What data will say when you’re willing to listen with Scott Taylor Mar 21, 2024

Shhh...do you hear that? It's the Data Whisperer. And he's here to tell a story: A data story. He'll disclose some hard-won truths. He'll philosophically approach the idea of truth before meaning. There may even be...data puppets.

TAKEAWAYS - What data will say when you’re willing to listen with Scott Taylor Mar 20, 2024

Shhh...do you hear that? It's the Data Whisperer. And he's here to tell a story: A data story. He'll disclose some hard-won truths. He'll philosophically approach the idea of truth before meaning. There may even be...data puppets.

Gartner Data and Analytics 2024 Takeaways: Metadata is Everywhere with Cris Hadjez from Norwegian Cruise Lines Mar 14, 2024

What are we hearing at talks and in the hallways at Gartner Data and Analytics 2024? AI is not only the cool kid, Metadata is everywhere. Join us to learn about the latest takeaways from the conference.

When business goals and data strategies align with Amy Raygada Mar 11, 2024

Amy works at the cross-section of arguably the most important thing to a business: aligning data strategy with corporate vision. How do you ACTUALLY use data to achieve business goals, and how do you know if you're going in the right direction? Amy stops by to discuss.

Don’t lift and shift: Data governance to AI Governance with Karen Meppen Feb 26, 2024

You can’t lift and shift your traditional data governance practices to AI governance. AI's unique quirks bring unique governance requirements: understanding its limitations, ensuring fairness, protecting personal and intellectual property rights, and tailoring accuracy to specific use cases.

Another sucky year for startups and investment? with Eva Nahari Feb 15, 2024

If you really want to win, you need to take some risks and be the first with something new. But how do you minimize risk? Eva Nahari, Principal at DNX ventures, talks to us about the current genAI investment environment.

Bridging Innovation and Open Source to the Real World with Paco Nathan Feb 08, 2024

Paco Nathan has a career on bridging innovation and open source project on Data and AI to the real world. This episode will be his honest, no-bs take on the impact of open source in the real world. And of course, we will also talk about Knowledge Graphs and LLMs.

Without information architecture, there is no AI with Jessica Talisman Jan 31, 2024

A world without AI? Unimaginable. And that's why - so is a world without information architecture, according to Jessica Talisman, information architect at Amazon. Information architecture extends beyond browse menus and UX/UI. We talk about why.

Productivity is not performance with Santona Tuli Jan 30, 2024

Santona Tuli is the head of data at Upsolver. She's a voice we like to listen to about how data teams assemble: data roles, data culture, the function of data at a company...She stops by Catalog & Cocktails to talk workflows, architecture, and looking at data teams with a 10,000-foot view.

The data mesh-terclass Jan 19, 2024

Samia Rahman is the Director of Enterprise Data Strategy and Governance at Seagen. She's a data mesh expert, and she's here to tell us why data mesh often gets mesh-understood. Also - we discuss knowledge graphs, prompt engineering, and whether AI and data governance should be separate.

How will AI impact 2024 and beyond? Jan 11, 2024

Jeremiah Owyang is a general partner at Blitzscaling Ventures. His career arc has spanned web, sharing economy, and autonomous/AI technologies. He believes that AI is going to help humanity accomplish many of the big challenges we have for society, from health to learning to work and more. But the way we communicate and measure work will change - radically. What does our AI-future look like? He stops by to discuss.

Season 6 Finale with Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda Dec 15, 2023

2023 is coming to a close and so is our season 6 with 20 episodes. Join Tim and Juan where they will provide the takeaway of takeaways for all the episodes of season 6. We will be back in January 2024 and kick off Season 7.

Data Contracts and Shift Responsibility to Left with Andrew Jones Dec 01, 2023

Data contracts are all the rage and it’s about shifting responsibility to the left. What does that actually mean? How do you do that? Do we actually need more technology for it? Who needs to be involved? So many honest no-bs questions and who best to answer them than Andrew Jones, inventor of data contracts.

Making Data Science more Accessible with Doris Lee Nov 22, 2023

In this episode we will chat with Doris Lee on how data science started from an exclusive, hi-tech branch, how it's become more accessible over time, and what's still missing. We will also go over the data science market and the role of open source.

Understanding the Role of Knowledge Graphs on Large Language Model’s Accuracy for Question Answering on Enterprise SQL Databases Nov 22, 2023

Investing in Knowledge Graph provides higher accuracy for LLM-powered question-answering systems. That's the conclusion of the latest research that Juan Sequeda, Dean Allemang and Bryon Jacob have recently presented. In this episode, we will dive into the details of this research and understand why to succeed in this AI world, enterprises must treat the business context and semantics as a first-class citizen.

Data Storytelling with Kat Greenbrook Nov 02, 2023

Data Storytelling is a topic that constantly comes up, but do we really know what it is? And what it isn’t? Who best to have this #honestnobs discussion than Kat Greenbrook, author of the upcoming book The Data Storyteller’s Handbook: How to create business impact using data storytelling.

Data Storytelling with Kat Greenbrook Nov 02, 2023

Data Storytelling is a topic that constantly comes up, but do we really know what it is? And what it isn’t? Who best to have this #honestnobs discussion than Kat Greenbrook, author of the upcoming book The Data Storyteller’s Handbook: How to create business impact using data storytelling.

LLMs, Retrieval Augmented Generation, Knowledge Graph, Vector Databases with Mike Dillinger Oct 26, 2023

RAG, Retrieval Augemented Generation, is the term you now constantly hear in conjunction with LLM that provides context. But how does it actually work? And what's the relationship with Vector Databases and Knowledge Graphs? This will be a geeky AI episode with Mike Dillinger.

Data Catalogs, The Power of Collaboration with Krystin Kim Oct 24, 2023

Technical folks miss the boat and are boring when they talk about the features of data catalog such as glossaries and data lineage to business people. In this episode Krystin Kim will share how a data catalog should be presented to the business: the ultimate place to share ideas across big companies, a treasure trove of use cases for others to discover and make even better, recipes to make amazing things that returns millions in business value.

Data Stewardship, Data Product Management, Data Governance and AI with Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda Oct 12, 2023

What's the state of data stewardship today and where is it going? Will data stewards continue to exist? How is this evolving with respect to data products? And what is the impact of AI? All of these questions and more is what Tim and Juan ranted about in this episode.

Generative AI, Data Products and Business Value with Jon Cooke Oct 05, 2023

With the hype of Generative AI, how do we keep focused on the goal of delivering the right valuable and business facing analytics and data use-cases with as low friction and maximum agility as possible? Jon Cooke, founder of Dataception has a lot of honest no-bs thoughts to share!

TAKEAWAYS - Generative AI, Data Products and Business Value with Jon Cooke Oct 04, 2023

Takeaways from With the hype of Generative AI, how do we keep focused on

the goal of delivering the right valuable and business facing analytics

and data use-cases with as low friction and maximum agility as

possible? Jon Cooke, founder of Dataception has a lot of honest no-bs

thoughts to share!

From London to San Francisco: Summary of BigDataLDN and AI Conference Sep 28, 2023

Tim and Juan provide an honest no-bs summary of what they observed and learned at Big Data London and the AI Conference in San Francisco. Tune in to get the latest on Data and AI and short interviews from Peter Norvig (Google), Nazneen Rajani (Hugging Face), Fabiana Clemente (YData), Danny Bickson (Visual Layer), Gev Sogomonian (AimStack), Yujian Tang (Zilliz), Patrick McFadin (Datasax) and Ofer Mendelevitch (Vectara)

Business Value on the #meandatastreets with Chris Tabb Sep 21, 2023

Live from #meandatastreets of Big Data London, Tim and Juan will be chatting with Chris Tabb on how data teams need to be driving the message on providing the ability to increase the performance of the business across all domains with the use if data.

Tim and Juan Rant from Amsterdam: where is the data budget? Sep 14, 2023

Tim and Juan will share their latest thoughts about where the budget for data projects are heading.

Data that Doesn’t Drive Results is Useless with Alexa Westlake Sep 07, 2023

If data isn't driving results is useless. In this episode, Alexa Westlake will share from her experience on how to define and scale a council, create a culture of joint ownership of metrics, and discuss the relationship between outputs and outcomes.

What does Data Lakehouse, Sports and Generative AI have in common? with Ari Kaplan Aug 31, 2023

Sports analytics requires video, scouting textual reports, streaming data, numerical results of games. How can these types of analytics be accomplished? Where does Generative AI fit? Enter the data lakehouse. Ari Kaplan, the real money ball guy, will share his experience with Tim and Juan.

From Technical to Business Data Strategy with Aaron Wilkerson from Carhartt Aug 24, 2023

Are you a data leader with a technical data strategy and struggling to connect it with the business? Are you trying to get a “seat at the table” and not succeeding? This episode is for you! Aaron Wilkerson will share his thoughts and learnings with Tim and Juan

TAKEAWAYS - From Technical to Business Data Strategy with Aaron Wilkerson from Carhartt Aug 23, 2023

Are you a data leader with a technical data strategy and struggling to connect it with the business? Are you trying to get a “seat at the table” and not succeeding? This episode is for you! Aaron Wilkerson will share his thoughts and learnings with Tim and Juan

Juan and Tim rant about AI and Chatting with your data Aug 17, 2023

While Juan is out on PTO he took this time to reflect on all the chatter around AI and Generative AI and it's impact on being able to "talk to your data." Tim also offers his own thoughts on the importance of how this impacts the business.

Data Sustainability w/ Simone Steel Aug 10, 2023

Have you asked yourself what is the relationship between the exponential growth of data and the environmental and business sustainability goals? Simone Steel, an experienced CDAO, has been asking these questions. This episode is a follow up to her thought provoking presentation at 2023 CDOIQ Conference.

TAKEAWAYS - Data Sustainability w/ Simone Steel Aug 09, 2023

Have you asked yourself what is the relationship between the exponential growth of data and the environmental and business sustainability goals? Simone Steel, an experienced CDAO, has been asking these questions. This episode is a follow up to her thought provoking presentation at 2023 CDOIQ Conference.

Is Data a First Class Citizen in your Company? w/ Wendy Turner-Williams Aug 03, 2023

Everyone says they want to be a data-driven driven company. To do so, data must be a first class citizen, at the heart of all strategy and reporting to the CEO. Is that really happening at your company? Wendy Turner-Williams will discuss how data is at the center of AI, Ethics, Privacy, Security and more.

TAKEAWAYS - Is Data a First Class Citizen in your Company? Aug 02, 2023

Everyone says they want to be a data-driven driven company. To do so, data must be a first class citizen, at the heart of all strategy and reporting to the CEO. Is that really happening at your company? Wendy Turner-Williams will discuss how data is at the center of AI, Ethics, Privacy, Security and more.

Ranting about (lack of) business value by data teams w/ Ethan Aaron Jul 27, 2023

How is your data team driving revenue and reducing costs? How is the impact of your data team being measured? All of these business value topics and more will be discussed with Ethan Aaron, CEO of Portable.

TAKEAWAYS - Ranting about (lack of) business value by data teams w/ Ethan Aaron Jul 26, 2023

How is your data team driving revenue and reducing costs? How is the impact of your data team being measured? All of these business value topics and more will be discussed with Ethan Aaron, CEO of Portable.

People and Data w/ Tom Redman, The Data Doc Jul 20, 2023

Live from CDOIQ, we will joined by Tom Redman, The Data Doc, to discuss what's broken, why we go in circles, and how we can objectively evaluate the data world. Oh, we will also chat about his upcoming book: People and Data

TAKEAWAYS from People and Data w/ Tom Redman, The Data Doc Jul 19, 2023

Live from CDOIQ, we will joined by Tom Redman, The Data Doc, to discuss what's broken, why we go in circles, and how we can objectively evaluate the data world. Oh, we will also chat about his upcoming book: People and Data

Modeling and Semantics are more important than ever, because of AI with Joe Reis Jul 13, 2023

In this episode, Joe Reis, best-selling author of Fundamentals of Data Engineering explains why data modeling and semantics need to take the center stage for AI to truly succeed.

TAKEAWAYS: Modeling and Semantics are more important than ever, because of AI Jul 12, 2023

In this episode, Joe Reis, best-selling author of Fundamentals of Data Engineering explains why data modeling and semantics need to take the center stage for AI to truly succeed.

Catalogs & Cocktails Live from Snowflake Summit 2023 in Las Vegas Jul 06, 2023

Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda debrief after 4 days on-site at Snowflake Summit 2023 in Las Vegas.

Key Takeaways:

[00:00 - 00:40] Intro, Tim and Juan are at the Snowflake Summit in Las Vegas
[00:43 - 01:27] AI
[01:27 - 04:04] Large language models (LLMs), and associated costs
[04:04 - 04:46] Costs of maintaining data infrastructure for larger models
[04:50 - 06:58] AI and LM use cases for businesses
[07:07 - 09:52] New capabilities added to Snowflake: Snow Park and Snowflake Container Services, and Streamlit
[09:52 - 11:15] Juan predicts that Snowflake will build their own data centers
[11:18 - 12:47] Databricks conference announcements
[13:29 - 19:11] Introducing Ethan Aaron from Portable, and his take on trends with Snowflake

There is no “I” in Data Governance with Aakriti Agrawal from American Express Jun 08, 2023

In this episode, we delve into the world of change management and its crucial role in the nonprofit sector, particularly concerning data governance.

Our special guest, Aakriti Agrawal from American Express, shares her expertise and insights on the change management process, emphasizing the need for leadership rather than mere management.

Join hosts Juan and Tim for this insightful episode as we explore change management in the nonprofit sector, uncover the power of data governance, and learn strategies to effectively lead change within organizations.

Takeaways with Aakriti Agrawal from American Express Jun 08, 2023

Juan’s on Vacation Jun 01, 2023

We all need a break sometimes.

Juan is on vacation but he wasn't skipping this week's episode of Catalog & Cocktails.

Join Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda for this weeks mini-sode.

UPDATED RELEASE: Automating Data Governance, it’s the only way to go w/ Ben Clinch from BT Group May 28, 2023

Takeaways with Ben Clinch from BT Group May 25, 2023

Using data to change the game w/ Maddy Want from Fanatics May 18, 2023

Are you criminally under leveraging your data?

This week Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper will be joined by Maddy Want, VP of Data at Fanatics and author of “Precisely: Working with Precision Systems in a World of Data” to discuss digital transformations stories from her book.

Takeaways with Maddy Want from Fanatics May 18, 2023

Live from the Knowledge Graph Conference with Katariina Kari from IKEA May 11, 2023

Join this weeks episode of Catalog & Cocktails LIVE from the Knowledge Graph Conference.

Hosts Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda will be joined by Katariina Kari, Lead Ontologist at IKEA to chat about all things Knowledge Graph.

Takeaways with Katariina Kari from Ikea May 11, 2023

Unpacking Responsible AI with Ricardo Baeza-Yates May 04, 2023

With the hype of AI, one of the important topics to discuss is Responsible AI.

In this episode, we will be unpacking Responsible AI, what is the problem, what are solutions such as principles, governance, auditing, regulation with renowned computer scientist researcher, Ricardo Baeza-Yates.

Takeaways with Ricardo Baeza-Yates May 04, 2023

What is the DNA of a data organization? w/ Alex Vayner from KPMG US Apr 27, 2023

There’s a high turnover of CDO/CDAO positions. Data teams are not directly contributing to ROI. What’s the root cause? It’s all in the DNA of the organization.

Understanding this will be critical in addressing this issue in organizations.

Hosts Juan and Tim will be joined by special guest Alex Vayner, from KPMG US to also discuss the data roles in the different types organizations and also dive into the buy vs. build decision-making process.

Takeaways with Alex Vayner from KPMG US Apr 27, 2023

KG + LLM = Happily Ever After? w/ Tony Seale, Knowledge Graph Engineer Apr 20, 2023

Knowledge graphs and large language models. A match made in heaven. This pair will drive centralization and eventually work with AI to further consolidate and connect your data.

So why aren’t people prepared for it and what’s going to happen when AI steps in?

Join us on this weeks episode of Catalog & Cocktails with hosts Tim, Juan, and special guest Tony Seale, Knowledge Graph Engineer.

Do’s and Don’t for the Next Gen Data Leaders w/ Veronika Durgin, VP of Data at Saks 5th Avenue Apr 13, 2023

Survival guides, rulebooks, blueprints and more. The best way to prepare yourself as a next generation data leader is this episode of Catalog & Cocktails with Tim Gasper, Juan Sequeda, and special guest Veronika Durgin, VP of Data at Saks 5th Avenue.

Get deep into some preparation-curriculum with topics like:-Do’s and Don’ts of Data Leaders

-Are you skeptical enough?

-How curious are you?

-Joining communities that educate and inspire

-and MORE

Takeaways with Veronika Durgin, VP of Data at Saks 5th Avenue Apr 13, 2023

Passing the buck; Business or Data? Apr 06, 2023

Is business the problem or is it the data? Business science hasn’t changed since Peter Druker. But, it needs to change. It was designed in an era of certain technologies and data limitations. We had to work in isolation.

Those days are long gone.

So who’s to blame for inefficiencies, unsolved problems, mismanaged processes and other barriers? Join this weeks episode of Catalog & Cocktails with hosts Tim, Juan and special guest Benny Benford to find out where the buck stops.

Takeaways with Benny Benford Apr 06, 2023

SHOW ME THE METRICS w/ Abhi Sivasailam Mar 30, 2023

Metrics are one of the most important and durable primitives in a company. And if data teams are looking to create value FAST… they have to learn how their businesses work.

To figure out how you business works, you have to find the right starting point; back to the METRICS.

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Abhi Sivasailam from Levers Lab on this week’s episode of Catalog & Cocktails to hear more about the most valuable use cases.

Episode highlights:

[00:09 - 02:45] Introductions & Cheers
[02:49 - 03:42] Warmup: What are things in life that you wish happened faster?
[03:49 - 04:57] Abhi's talk about data teams and company growth models
[04:59 - 07:21] There's too many data people
[07:24 - 08:57] What are people wasting their time on: variance and standardization
[09:01 - 11:07] Challenges to understanding the business and growth models
[11:12 - 13:03] Metrics form the core of well-defined end states
[13:05 - 15:03] What Abhi thinks of as a metric, and how it ties into the knowledge graph
[15:04 - 16:37] A plan of attack improves semantic knowledge and avoiding building as you go
[16:47 - 17:51] The accretive development problem
[17:53 - 22:48] A core structure of standards with uniqueness layered on top
[22:53 - 25:30] Focus on specificities instead of repeated work
[25:46 - 27:24] Not a bridge too far to say the semantic layer doesn't need to be that creative, but more standardized
[27:32 - 29:09] Abhi thinks automated integration is impossible
[29:19 - 32:29] Arbitrary uniqueness vs being coupled to an open standard
[32:31 - 33:40] SOMA
[33:42 - 36:22] How does SOMA affect a data person's life, and how does a company adopt the standard?
[36:23 - 40:09] Building a web of metrics for growth
[40:12 - 42:06] The relationship between metrics, SOMA, and OKRs
[42:31 - 49:56] Lightning round
[50:00 - 55:27] Takeaways
[55:29 - 57:59] Three final questions

Takeaways with Abhi Sivasailam Mar 30, 2023

Takeaways from Gartner D&A with Juan and Tim Mar 23, 2023

Juan and Tim give their ultimate takeaways from Gartner in Orlando with a TON of guests.

Guests like:

Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer at Thoughtspot, and Host of the Data Chief Podcast

Wayne Eckerson, President at Eckerson Group

Sean Anderson, Host of Sources & Destinations Podcast, and Head of Product Marketing at SelectStar

Benn Stancil, CTO + Founder @ Mode

Malcolm Hawker, Head of Data Strategy, Profisee

Malcolm Chisholm, President, Data Millennium

Kuldeep Sharma, Sr Manager Data Governance, Enterprise Data

Vassil Momtchev, CTO at Ontotext

Anthony Colichio, Senior Value Engineer, Reltio

School of Building Data and Business Relationships w/ Kristin Schooley Mar 16, 2023

In this episode of Catalog & Cocktails, Kristin Schooley from Learning Care Group sits down with Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper to discuss the importance of teamwork and building relationships when it comes to scaling an analytics team within a large organization. The conversation covers a lot of ground, including the need to understand what reporting is needed and what story is being told, how to ensure scalability and compliance, as well as the importance of measuring usage and interpreting why certain data may not be utilized.

Key Takeaways:

[00:00 - 01:10] Introduction & Cheers
[01:15 - 03:11] What was your favorite class in school and why?
[03:16 - 06:34] A data team of five
[06:36 - 11:29] Partnering with business units and thinking about what is being learned
[11:43 - 14:07] Data as a product and lifecycle management
[14:22 - 15:13] Data literacy isn't necessarily the phrase we should be using
[15:15 - 18:13] Business analytics and understanding how to present data
[18:16 - 22:51] How organizations organize their data teams with checks and balances
[22:52 - 26:18] Business literacy, centralized teams, and scaling beyond a bottleneck
[26:20 - 30:31] Incentivizing for having documentation up to date
[30:40 - 34:57] Lightning round
[35:00 - 39:46] Tim & Juan's Takeaways
[39:46 - 43:06] Three questions

Takeaways with Kristin Schooley Mar 16, 2023

Data Operations vs. Data Analytics Mar 09, 2023

Are we doing data and analytics correctly? Self service, centralization vs decentralization, analytics vs operations… so many aspects that data teams need to consider.

Join this week’s episode of Catalog & Cocktails with hosts Juan and Tim as they speak with special guest Bethany Lyons to discuss how we should have a separation between data operations an data analytics

Key Takeaways:

[00:10 - 02:36] Meet Bethany Lyons, Chief Proctor Officer at KAWA Analytics
[02:40 - 04:23] What's your favorite board game?
[04:24 - 05:29] Encouraging self-service analytics is why Bethany thinks we are doing data analytics wrong
[05:30 - 08:04] How the self-service analytics problem started
[08:10 - 11:12] How business operators utilize data, and examples with Tableau deployment
[11:13 - 14:09] Tying business logic to an analytics tools and what could go wrong
[14:10 - 15:55] "Is this an analytics request or an operational request?"
[15:55 - 16:35] Changing parameters and asking the right system
[16:35 - 19:35] Evolving from self-service analytics to self-service governance programs
[19:39 - 21:14] Spreadsheet data, security, and incentives
[21:22 - 24:25] Self-service governance, shared accountability paired with great security
[24:26 - 25:50] Data stewards and ownership over business areas
[25:51 - 27:04] Sharing, auditing, and tracking
[27:12 - 28:50] Decentralizing accountability and mindsets when dealing with data
[28:50 - 32:40] How to make the switch to prioritizing decentralizing accountability over who writes SQL queries, and KAWA's role
[32:41 - 35:15] Centralized policy frameworks and definitions
[35:22 - 39:05] Thoughts on self-service operations and the centralization of analytics
[39:06 - 40:52] Critical business logic and Excel spreadsheets
[40:53 - 42:06] Centralizing business logic vs decentralizing business logic
[42:06 - 44:33] Avoiding business logic being owned by one individual, and looking at decision models
[44:33 - 45:45] Critical documents, and the idea of a Google Drive for data
[45:49 - 52:41] Lightning round
[52:42 - 57:26] Takeaways
[57:44 - 01:00:16] Three questions

Takeaways with Bethany Lyons Mar 09, 2023

Catalog & Cocktails: Throwback Elixir Mar 02, 2023

This week, we are having a throwback elixir with some very special surprise guests.

Tune in with hosts Juan and Tim to find out who.

Key Takeaways:

[00:26 - 01:51] Episode intro: Data Day and What keeps you up at night in data?
[02:04 - 02:54] Joe Reis, the economy and showing value
[02:59 - 03:30] Omar Khawaja: Anything that ends with board, data dashboards
[03:54 - 04:05] Vip Parmar: Jet lag & underutilized data
[04:16 - 04:51] Laura Ellis: Data governance and change management
[04:59 - 06:18] Mohammed Syed: Change management and data solutions
[06:22 - 06:49] Tim: Determining focus in a sea of technology opportunities
[06:50 - 07:58] Juan: Disconnect between executives and how data teams work with the business

Increasing adoption of data products, by design. w/ Brian T. O’Neill Feb 23, 2023

Increasing adoption of data products, by design

Look no further than Brian T. O’Neill’s bio to tell you that’s what he does best.

Our special guest this week knows that low adoption of data products are enterprises biggest enemy. Not just in terms of quantity, but also quality of these investments. Why are teams so often creating technically right, effectively wrong data products? Why do people fail to adopt when it’s them post crucial part of becoming data driven organizations?

These burning questions have answers.

Join hosts Juan, Tim, and guest Brian T. O’Neill on this weeks episode of Catalog & Cocktails.

Key takeaways:

[00:06 - 03:30] Intro & Cheers
[03:33 - 04:54] What is your instrument of choice and what would your band name be?
[04:59 - 07:55] Honest no BS definition of a data product
[07:59 - 11:17] Alternative definitions of data as products
[11:18 - 14:11] Data products can be many things, and definitions are broad
[14:11 - 19:39] How human centered design interplays with defining data products
[19:47 - 25:17] Data therapists, knowledge scientists and engineers
[25:21 - 33:48] Where does the burden lay, and with whom
[33:49 - 38:35] Brian's perspective on data product management versus software product management
[38:38 - 43:59] How do you achieve good adoption?
[44:05 - 46:39] What is the best way people can start learning about human-centered design?
[46:42 - 47:20] Can dashboards be data products, and can machine learning be data products?
[47:32 - 49:45] Should companies be investing in data managers
[49:45 - 52:45] Value and adoption, should companies track data ROI
[52:58 - 58:20] Takeaways
[58:23 - 01:02:09] Three questions

Takeaways with Brian T. O’Neill Feb 23, 2023

Metadata, is this a graph problem? w/ Mohammad Syed from Capco Feb 16, 2023

Metadata management has been a topic for a while now. Lately, the industry is pushing that metadata is a knowledge graph problem. What does metadata in a pre and post graph world look like?

Join Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper with special guest Mohammad Syed, Head of Data Architecture & Engineering at Capco to chat about metadata and knowledge graphs.

Key Takeaways:

[00:06 - 02:40] Introduction & Cheers
[02:43 - 03:55] What's your go-to karaoke song?
[03:57 - 05:38] Metadata is a graph problem, yes or no?
[05:55 - 08:23] What would we call metadata in a pre-graph world?
[08:29 - 13:06] The biggest inflection point that has moved us collectively from a pre-graph world to a post-graph world
[13:06 - 15:10] Use cases for metadata in finance
[15:14 - 17:43] Different contexts in which you use data,
[17:46 - 19:33] Metadata historically as a means of documentation
[23:29 - 24:59] How we should be taking advantage of the graph structure
[25:01 - 29:18] Applying basic graph techniques and algorithms to identify data use cases
[28:11 - 30:30] The process of data governance and data protection
[30:33 - 32:47] Outcomes of metadata graphs
[33:04 - 35:19] Metadata management
[35:26 - 39:59] How to get started with metadata mapping
[40:05 - 43:30] Governance can't be living in an ivory tower
[43:57 - 49:52] Lightning round
[50:01 - 55:56] Takeaways
[55:58 - 59:44] Three Questions

Takeaways with Mohammad Syed from Capco Feb 16, 2023

Everywhere you look, there it is; entity resolution w/ Jeff Jonas Feb 09, 2023

Entity resolution.Is it a single source of truth? Is it multiple sources of truth? Is it multiple data sources that refer to the same real-world thing?

How do we make sense of it? How can we harness the value of data through entity resolution? Talk to Jeff Jonas from Senzing on this week’s episode of Catalog & Cocktails and you’ll understand.

Key Takeaways

[00:33 - 05:14] Episode intro & cheers
[05:20 - 06:53] What is something you thought to be true in life that ended up being false?
[06:58 - 08:15] Why don't we realize entity resolution if it is everywhere?
[08:18 - 09:55] Tech stacks and tools for entity resolution
[10:01 - 11:55] Record matching, link detection, fuzzy matching, and duplication
[12:14 - 14:12] Master Data Management as the old school approach versus modern technology and its limits
[14:18 - 18:38] Entity resolution is for the elite
[18:48 - 21:11] Commoditizing entity resolution to the equivalent of a spell checker
[21:14 - 25:41] Principles and Guidelines
[25:51 - 28:48] The number of principles should fit on a single screen
[28:50 - 33:03] Different levels of abstractions, and thinking about what kinds of things can solve similar problems
[33:09 - 35:25] How does metadata tie into entity resolution?
[35:32 - 40:45] Ontologies, semantics, and mapping
[40:54 - 42:10] Thousands of transactions per second
[42:14 - 46:23] You shouldn't have to tinker with any settings to be effective
[46:28 - 47:44] ChatGPT
[51:54 - 56:17] Takeaways
[56:21 - 59:40] Three Final Questions

Takeaways with Jeff Jonas Feb 09, 2023

Is Master Data Management (MDM) dead? w/ Malcolm Hawker from Profisee Feb 02, 2023

If there were a tombstone for this episode it would read “here lies Master Data Management,” But would you agree?

In this episode, join Tim, Juan, and special guest Malcolm Hawker from Profisee, will discuss the history of master data management, the buzzwords surrounding it, and where it’s headed, assuming it’s still alive.

Key Takeaways:

[00:01 - 00:54] Introduction
[02:31 - 04:55] Toast to sun on the beach
[05:21 - 10:09] What's something in the world that is popular or trending that really needs to fade away and RIP?
[10:36 - 13:33] How do we define MDM today?
[16:43 - 19:52] How did we get here? Understanding the history of how MDM began
[20:50 - 24:04] Governance: Where do we start? Approaches to figuring out how to decentralize
[26:52 - 29:51] With the single version of the truth and for each context, how do we preserve the data integrity across independent or interconnected functions?
[30:45 - 34:35] How data modeling and MDM apply to new capabilities such as data sharing and DBT
[39:43 - 43:13] What does data ownership mean?
[46:27 - 56:08] Lightning round
[59:20 - 01:01:56] Advice, and important resources

Takeaways with Malcolm Hawker from Profisee Feb 02, 2023

Data Modeling: your data isn’t going to model itself w/ Anna Abramova Jan 26, 2023

Data modeling isn’t new. So why is it still a problem?

Maybe the problem isn’t data modeling itself, but rather there is no modern solution for companies, or the incentives are not well understood. It’s a learn-as-you-go type of thing, but that’s where the trouble lies.

Do you hire one data engineer and have them do everything? Do we encourage training in data modeling? OR… do we throw in the towel and keep doing things as they’ve always been done?

Join Tim, Juan, and special guest Anna Abramova from SqlDBM to answer these burning questions on this week’s episode of Catalog & Cocktails.

Key Takeaways

[00:11 - 01:03] Introduction to Anna Abramova
[01:03 - 04:03] Champagne vending machines & cheers all around
[04:11 - 05:27] If you could model your home after one famous building or monument what would it be?
[05:30 - 06:35] What's the deal with data modeling at SqlDBM
[06:37 - 09:09] The origin story of SqlDBM
[09:09 - 10:58] A modern approach to data modeling
[10:58 - 12:04] What modern means in the context of data modeling
[12:08 - 14:30] Why is data modeling now becoming such a hot topic?
[14:33 - 17:24] Data modeling trends: startups and small businesses
[17:25 - 20:41] Data modeling trends in medium-sized companies
[20:43 - 21:32] Data modeling trends in large organizations
[21:33 - 26:16] Summarizing data trends and real world applications
[26:48 - 30:40] Metaphors around data modelings and architecting, problem solving
[30:51 - 35:37] The biggest value triggers around data modeling
[35:40 - 37:21] The pearl of the ocean
[37:25 - 40:39] How are people learning data modeling?
[40:42 - 43:17] A role or a skill?
[43:18 - 45:10] Data modeling isn't the sexiest topic
[45:12 - 46:16] A good foundation and resilience
[46:26 - 49:39] Lightning round
[49:55 - 55:19] Juan & Tim's Takeaways
[55:37 - 58:51] Three questions about data and life

Takeaways with Anna Abramova Jan 26, 2023

Providing data business value and building data teams w/ Jane Urban from Takeda Jan 19, 2023

Imagine planting seeds and not watering them. Or putting water on the stove but not turning on the gas. Sounds silly, right?

Now take your organizations data and think about not leveraging it as an asset. It’s like taking the initial step of planting something in the garden and deciding not to provide nourishment.

Join Tim, Juan, and special guest Jane Urban from Takeda to understand the difference between a data asset and a data product and why companies still struggle finding the real value.

Key Takeaways

[00:06 - 02:14] Introduction & Cheers
[02:15 - 03:46] What New Year's resolutions have you stuck to so far?
[03:49 - 05:14] Leveraging data as an asset
[05:20 - 07:06] Definitions and examples of data as a product
[07:13 - 09:42] Business needs and data value
[09:43 - 11:49] The transition from something smaller to something growing, and lessons learned
[11:50 - 14:58] Metaphors Jane uses to make communication around data value simple and relatable
[15:00 - 16:42] A manufacturing process metaphor
[16:46 - 20:46] Data stewards and the idea of finalizing a system versus ongoing system maintenance
[20:46 - 24:35] Data value in the pharma perspective
[24:45 - 27:02] Outcomes for data assets to data products, or are they unrelated?
[27:05 - 28:57] Data as an asset on the balance sheet
[29:01 - 32:30] How digital technology its in an organization, and potential as a revenue generator
[32:46 - 38:08] Navigating how to be agile in pharma, which is not often agile
[38:24 - 40:08] Find the astronauts
[40:09 - 42:35] Leadership and executive evolution toward digital growth
[42:45 - 47:01] The good, the bad, and the ugly of starting small and working towards global teams
[47:15 - 55:47] Lightning round
[55:51 - 01:01:16] Takeaways
[01:01:24 - 01:04:08] Three questions

Takeaways with Jane Urban Jan 19, 2023

A conversation with the father of the data warehouse, Bill Inmon Jan 12, 2023

Those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it. If there is someone who can speak to data history, it’s Bill Inmon. How did data warehouses start? Why is the computing profession still immature?

Join Tim Gasper, Juan Sequeda and Bill Inmon, the father of the data warehouse and Founder of Forest Rim Technology, to learn about the past and present of data, and where things might be heading in the future.

Key Takeaways

[00:05 - 01:00] Introduction to the Father of the data warehouse, Bill Inmon
[01:11 - 02:28] Cocktails & Cheers
[02:31 - 03:33] What actor would you cast for yourself?
[03:39 - 06:47] Running in circles in the data world, a result of the profession's maturity
[06:49 - 10:20] Bill's recent post about loyalty to technology versus loyalty to business
[10:22 - 12:58] Specialists in computer technology, how programming has changed over time
[13:06 - 15:08] Continuing education and certifications with programming paths
[15:10 - 24:40] The history of computing: from army, to mafia, to your pocket
[24:40 - 32:22] Key moments and milestones Bill has observed throughout his career in networking
[32:28 - 33:59] Understanding the customer and looking after them
[33:53 - 38:00] Microsoft Chatbot
[38:00 - 41:04] A solution in search of a problem, showing business value
[41:10 - 43:41] The Inmon and Kimball approaches
[43:58 - 45:50] What's next for Bill?
[46:11 - 58:46] Lightning round
[58:53 - 01:04:16] Takeaways

Takeaways with Bill Inmon Jan 12, 2023

Season 4 Finale Dec 15, 2022

Well, another incredible season of Catalog & Cocktails concludes this week with hosts Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda.

Join in for the ultimate takeaways of the takeaways as Tim and Juan recap best moments, favorite hot takes, and the most controversial opinions over the last season.

Listeners, please submit your feedback: https://forms.gle/FdjMfarUaVnJ3SzB9

Key Takeaways

[00:05 - 02:40] Introduction, end of year growth
[02:43 - 04:54] Themes in culture, team structures, education opportunities
[04:55 - 06:11] Training and Enablement
[06:11 - 06:51] Shiny object syndrome, magpie syndrome
[06:53 - 07:55] Loris Marini and culture, genuine conversations
[07:56 - 09:09] Data problems with Laura Ellis, celebrating what people do with data
[09:11 - 10:49] Culture, self-service, and shadow IT
[10:54 - 11:09] Shared KPIs and alignment
[11:12 - 12:40] Follow the money, and ask why you're working on what you're working on
[12:40 - 14:29] Data projects don't fail for technical reasons, aligning business value, ROI is the key
[14:35 - 15:09] How the business makes money, and where does it flow to organizationally
[15:26 - 16:59] Who are the right people, and how do you continue to motivate and empower them
[17:01 - 18:13] Ask for opinions and anecdotes, starting small
[18:15 - 19:39] Loris on emphasizing connection and relationships, curriculum-driven development
[19:40 - 21:35] Laura Ellis on data user experiences
[21:39 - 23:19] The Chief Data Officer and managing data
[23:24 - 26:17] What does real time streaming mean, and its impact on business, cost, reporting
[26:45 - 29:59] AI and how it is already affecting data, knowledge, and more instant feedback
[30:01 - 30:45] Where is AI funding coming from?
[30:46 - 33:19] Horizontal and Vertical AI, value and use cases
[33:19 - 34:00] Putting brain power toward ads and clicks instead of something like solving cancer
[34:02 - 35:24] More education for people with diverse backgrounds, AI teams creating their own feature sets
[35:27 - 37:16] "What should a catalog do?"
[37:17 - 38:50] The spectrum of search, a lifecycle of data
[38:52 - 40:19] Cross-functional collaboration and business expertise, strategies for metadata transformation and integration
[40:21 - 41:32] Data modeling, cataloging, and semantics
[41:34 - 43:29] Semantics with Dan Bennett, and data layers
[43:32 - 45:58] Jumping into the pool with Allison Segraves
[45:59 - 49:21] DGIQ, data governance, and closing out semantics
[51:38 - 54:21] Predictions for the next year

2022 State of Data Governance Dec 08, 2022

What better place to discuss the current state of data governance and what should the industry be focusing on than a live episode at the Data Governance and Information Quality (DGIQ) Conference.

Join Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda LIVE from DGIQ in Washington, D.C. with special guests Anthony Algmin and Shannon Moore to have an honest no-bs discussion data governance and how it's all about people.

Key Takeaways

[00:09 - 03:39] Introduction, Cheers & Drinks
[03:40 - 04:38] Is Die Hard a Christmas movie or not?
[04:38 - 06:06] The State of Data Governance in 2022, making people care
[06:06 - 08:28] Making data governance about people and how they measure success
[08:29 - 10:54] The biggest opportunities for getting people to care more about data governance
[10:54 - 12:56] Data governance is a means to an end for corporations, a hotel analogy
[13:02 - 15:03] Think like a marketer, and data as a product
[15:04 - 17:18] Providing a value proposition for data governance
[17:18 - 19:37] We need to talk to our marketing friends
[19:38 - 21:08] Making data governance an ongoing business function, understanding the inherent value
[21:12 - 23:33] Governance is still very project-based, and not often holistic as a function of business
[23:41 - 26:20] Data privacy regulation to comply with
[27:31 - 30:41] Education pathways in data governance
[30:42 - 34:46] Strategies within organizations, business and leadership goals
[34:59 - 37:50] The most important priority for governance in 2023
[37:59 - 40:16] What vendors should be doing differently in 2023
[40:21 - 45:43] Lightning round
[45:54 - 50:17] Takeaways
50:18 - 53:40[] Three final questions

Getting into the Pool without Drowning. w/ Allison Sagraves Dec 01, 2022

Think back to when you were first learning to swim. How’d you do it? Chances are, you weren’t thrown into the ocean being circled by sharks. We sure hope not, anyway.

You probably picked it up under the watch of a lifeguard in most cases.But once it became second nature, the lifeguard didn’t hold SO much power. Well, data engineers are the lifeguard, and if there isn’t a checks and balances system between them and the business teams, the engineers will be determining your every move in AND out of the water.

Join Catalog & Cocktails hosts Juan and Tim, with special guest Allison Sagraves as they discuss how you get in the water by yourself without drowning.

Key Takeaways:

[00:06 - 04:15] Introduction & Cheers
[04:18 - 05:31] Beach, lake, or swimming pool?
[05:35 - 07:17] Entering the data pool without drowning
[07:28 - 09:40] The pool is like the new sandbox
[09:42 - 13:53] Cutting through confusion and BS
[14:00 - 17:03] Data literacy and understanding that everyone needs to be trained on all things
[17:09 - 18:10] A dog paddle towards more technical areas of focus during a transition
[18:16 - 20:36] The idea of data products
[20:37 - 23:52] Why Allison cannot stand the phrase "data is the new oil"
[23:54 - 29:34] Building data products is not an easy thing to do
[29:37 - 32:33] Culture and a digital mindset
[32:38 - 36:25] Allison's experience as the CDO at M&T Bank for 30 years
[37:28 - 41:40] The data pool analogy, and the lifeguard for that data
[44:14 - 51:08] Lightning round
[51:12 - 56:00] Takeaways
[56:06 - 01:02:21] Three questions
[01:02:28 - 01:03:27] Next week's episode

Takeaways with Allison Sagraves Dec 01, 2022

Are data teams keeping up with AI teams? w/ Theresa Kushner Nov 17, 2022

You have to have a lot of data to get AI to work. But the data folks are not jumping on it as fast as they should.

So what happens when data teams aren’t up to speed, companies are hiring more data scientists than they are engineers, AND current data teams are focusing too much on biz reporting and not supporting AI?

This week on Catalog & Cocktails, join hosts Tim Gasper and Juan Sequeda as they chat with special guest, Theresa Kushner, Head of North America Innovation Center at NTT Data Services to discuss how the AI train is leaving the station and data teams can only run so fast.

Key Takeaways

[00:10 - 02:25] Introduction & Cheers
[02:28 - 04:12] What's your favorite way to travel and why?
[04:15 - 07:01] Are data teams keeping up with AI teams?
[07:01 - 08:50] Are data teams and AI teams helping each other or avoiding each other?
[08:54 - 13:09] AI teams become a data set in themselves
[13:10 - 14:45] Data ownership and control
[14:51 - 17:20] Thoughts on purchasing data
[17:20 - 20:53] Data products and observations
[20:53 - 24:52] CDO versus the CDAO, definitions and comparisons
[24:53 - 27:05] Should there be a CDO or a CDAO?
[27:03 - 30:04] Data makes AI work
[30:02 - 34:58] If you want results you have to collaborate
[34:59 - 37:29] Creating culture tied to data quality
[37:27 - 42:01] The skill sets for managing data products
[42:02 - 46:09] Theresa's message of advice to data teams
[46:12 - 52:36] Lightning Round
[52:36 - 58:16] Takeaways
[58:17 - 01:00:31] Three questions

Takeaways with Theresa Kushner Nov 17, 2022

Where are the semantics in the data dictionary? w/ Dan Bennett Nov 10, 2022

Machines and people. Why can't we just speak the same language? The truth is we can, and doing so could make life demonstrably better for data scientists. Yet here we are, living in a world of rows and columns that few people outside of the data owner understand.

Join this weeks episode of Catalog & Cocktails as hosts, Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper with special guest, Dan Bennett, tackle semantics and how to get everyone -- machines and people -- on the same page.

Key Takeaways:

[00:01 - 02:47] Intro & Cheers
[02:49 - 04:57] If you were the picture for a word in the dictionary, which word would it be?
[04:58 - 08:35] The Greatest Sin of Tabular Data
[08:40 - 11:02] Examples of semantics missing inside of tabular data and their utility
[11:03 - 12:39] Adding context and profiling data
[12:43 - 14:55] How are constraints and semantics being defined, and what is a scaleable approach?
[15:02 - 16:24] Data producers and enriching data
[16:30 - 17:58] Enrichment that travels with the data
[18:00 - 20:14] What are the tools we use, the data dictionary, and standardizing
[20:16 - 22:34] Metadata and the bridge to the semantic world
[22:36 - 24:57] Innovation and Dan's thoughts on relational model table relationships
[24:57 - 28:09] Solving the same problems over and over again
[28:12 - 30:19] Network effect, the marketplace of ideas and social spheres
[30:21 - 33:56] Diving into the network effect and the semantic world
[33:58 - 36:48] Why redefine if an option exists that can be used, and thoughts on simple ideas being the best solutions
[36:52 - 40:11] Figuring out supply and demand curves for S&P Global
[40:12 - 44:34] The business value of data and data literacy in accurate findings
[44:44 - 46:19] Advice to data leaders and vendors
[46:37 - 50:14] Lightning Round
[50:29 - 56:48] Takeaways
[56:52 - 59:44] Three final questions

Takeaways with Dan Bennett Nov 10, 2022

Put the Business in charge of their own data w/ Gabi Steele and Leah Weiss of Preql Nov 03, 2022

Data and business teams become a convoluted intersection, and when they struggle to communicate, it leads to bigger problems than awkward water-cooler talk.

So what comes first? Translation? Data literacy? Company culture? The chicken? The egg?

Co-founders of Preql, Gabi Steele and Leah Weiss, join hosts Tim and Juan to discuss how to put the business in charge of their own data and how this leads to the answers AND massive alignment between data and biz teams.

Key Takeaways

[00:05 - 04:15] Introduction and Cheers to Tim
[04:17 - 06:50] What is the wildest or weirdest thing you've seen while stopped at a red light?
[06:55 - 10:29] Putting businesses in charge of their own data
[10:29 - 12:04] Inviting the business into the process and building community
[12:05 - 15:21] Developing a curriculum for data, teaching SQL and data visualization
[15:22 - 19:17] Refining the model and curriculum, tailoring the fit
[19:17 - 21:41] Identifying the people who wanted to be part of data modeling
[21:43 - 22:55] Teaching interested parties another way to handle data, using an application process to find people
[22:57 - 24:17] Stewardship in handling data
[24:17 - 27:04] The process of engaging and completing data modeling: a brain for architecture, python, and sql
[27:05 - 28:32] Interesting problems to solve, and you have to be creative to get there
[28:36 - 30:40] Understanding technical debt and how to support engineering teams, skills for good data modeling stewardship
[30:42 - 33:18] DBT and building robust analytics teams
[33:30 - 37:35] Tooling solutions for helping business be in charge of their own data
[37:42 - 38:52] Focus on the technical side, and a no-code semantic layer
[38:53 - 42:31] Bringing in a technical analytics engineer to the business team
[42:31 - 45:33] The knowledge gap and bridging it with a framework
[45:33 - 49:39] Alignment and building the semantic layer
[49:43 - 56:36] Lightning Round
[56:38 - 01:01:30] Takeaways
[01:01:32 - 01:05:50] Three Questions

Takeaways with Gabi Steele and Leah Weiss Nov 03, 2022

AI: No one wants your models. w/ Andrew Eye Oct 27, 2022

You can’t buy a predictive model off the shelf. And if you COULD… would you? It’s the old “build versus buy” debate and with data in a constant state of change, building and deploying AI is more challenging than ever.

Join Tim, Juan, and Andrew Eye, CEO at ClosedLoop.ai, to discuss the challenges of AI deployment, AIOps, and maintaining models as data changes.

Key Takeaways

[00:08 - 01:45] Cheers for AI
[01:48 - 04:44] Taking advantage of incoming data and considering the data footprint
[04:45 - 05:55] Building the most accurate and useful model, no best solution
[06:01 - 09:26] AI strategy and developing prediction models
[09:33 - 15:17] Should you build or should you buy?
[15:21 - 20:02] Verticalized AI versus Horizontal data science and AI-oriented solutions
[20:04 - 23:16] Build a custom predictive model
[23:42 - 25:24] The concept of "feature drift" in AI
[25:26 - 30:02] Vertical AI and the opportunity with healthcare
[30:07 - 33:52] The concept of a click and the idea of semantic contracts
[33:53 - 38:08] Great minds designing AI for Facebook instead of healthcare
[38:12 - 39:41] Designing AI for good is addictive
[39:47 - 41:27] The next generation and the promise of AI that can really impact lives
[41:41 - 47:57] Lightning Round
[48:02 - 52:03] Takeaways
[52:05 - 53:24] Three questions

Takeaways with Andrew Eye Oct 27, 2022

Knowledge: the missing piece to understanding your business Oct 20, 2022

The most effective way to understand your business is the special balance between things like tribal knowledge and extracted knowledge, technical teams and business teams, confidence and skepticism.

Join Tim, Juan, and Loris Marini, CEO of Discovering Data, as they zoom in to find that balance and the humility it may take.

Key Takeaways

[00:11 - 03:10] Introduction & Toasts
[03:13 - 05:32] What's the weirdest place you've ever misplaced your keys?
[05:44 - 08:01] The most effective way to follow the business is to follow the money
[08:02 - 10:35] Thinking about business literacy and how to learn that perspective
[10:37 - 12:35] How do we make change happen?
[12:37 - 13:39] Having genuine conversations with people
[13:44 - 18:19] Coaching, psychological safety, and communicating better at work
[18:20 - 22:10] The definition of creating knowledge within an organization
[22:11 - 25:34] Knowledge, insight, and levels of knowledge distributed in your team
[25:35 - 28:52] You've got to spend time and you have to have a platform
[29:10 - 31:48] We can do better than "just the smartest will survive"
[31:57 - 35:56] Incentives are about subtle things like a team that listens, not just pay and flexible time
[35:59 - 39:35] A data therapist and becoming more aware of issues
[39:43 - 41:32] Advice to engineers who write the data pipeline, engineer the SQL queries
[42:06 - 45:24] Lightning Round
[45:28 - 51:10] Takeaways
[52:06 - 53:57] Three questions

Takeaways with Loris Marini Oct 20, 2022

Data empathy; you either got it or you don’t w/ Laura Ellis from Rapid7 Oct 13, 2022

Data needs to be in the hands of the people who really need it. Sounds simple, right? So where is the disconnect? If your teams aren’t partnering to get projects done, it’s often due to a lack of understanding of each others pain points. That’s where empathy is a must.

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Laura Ellis from Rapid7 as they discuss supporting all the cooks in the kitchen when it comes to data projects, why that’s a hill to die on and HOW to actually get that done.

Key Takeaways:

[00:06 - 02:09] Intros & Toasts
[02:09 - 03:49] What is the most controversial hill you'll die on?
[03:52 - 05:30] Getting data into the hands of people who need it
[05:30 - 07:01] Biggest problems for collaborating and making data easier to work with across the organization
[07:05 - 09:32] Take a business problem, break it into a data problem
[09:32 - 11:00] Breaking down problems, making it less intimidating
[11:00 - 12:34] A user experience problem around data
[12:30 - 13:52] Who is responsible for figuring out how the pieces of the puzzle fit together
[13:55 - 17:22] Understanding centralization, decentralization, and embracing ownership
[17:25 - 20:48] Identifying issues and opportunities research provides for enabling data access
[20:48 - 22:31] Internal user research and Rapid7's "data therapist"
[22:31 - 24:33] Business literacy and data literacy, cross-functional learning
[24:28 - 26:39] More technology and more tools
[26:37 - 33:14] Putting data into the hands of people who need it, making money and saving money
[33:20 - 36:36] Gathering community and team content from passionate people
[36:34 - 38:24] Brainstorming definitions of success
[38:24 - 41:31] Start talking to people, do surveys, understanding the monetary impact
[41:39 - 43:31] Dive into the details
[43:36 - 47:23] Lightning Round
[47:27 - 54:09] Takeaways
[54:10 - 57:57] Three questions

Takeaways with Laura Ellis from Rapid7 Oct 13, 2022

AI/ML: where should the focus be? w/ Patrick Bangert of Samsung Oct 06, 2022

AI and ML are both at the center of many applications today from autonomous vehicles to healthcare. But where is this ship heading?

Join Tim, Juan, and Patrick Bangert, VP of AI at Samsung SDS where they will discuss where the focus of AI is today and where it should be tomorrow.

Key Takeaways

[00:04 - 01:06] Episode introduction/trailer
[01:18 - 02:22] Drinks & Toasts
[02:23 - 04:40] What is the most unfocused situation you've ever been in?
[04:49 - 10:08] Where is the focus of AI today? Business application.
[10:09 - 13:10] The technical side of AI, thinking about AI behind the wheel
[13:43 - 15:15] The problems outside autonomous driving that AI can solve
[15:16 - 20:09] AI and the impact on healthcare
[20:15 - 21:35] AI will allow doctors to become better caregivers
[21:45 - 27:08] Open issues and gaps in technology with AI currently
[27:13 - 30:41] Keeping data clean, and identifying bias and context
[30:46 - 36:18] Effective strategies companies are taking to label data better
[36:37 - 38:56] Using AI to help build AI, "AI squared"
[38:58 - 43:25] Inserting knowledge and representation, a solvable problem with better data
[43:25 - 46:23] Chat bots, autonomous driving, and complexity of tasks
[46:43 - 48:36] Doug Lennick, lessons from the 80s, and the state of GPT-3
[48:47 - 52:16] The role of venture capital in AI development
[52:31 - 57:34] Lightning round
[57:40 - 01:05:58] Takeaways and the current state of AI
[01:06:06 - 01:08:03] Three questions

Takeaways with Patrick Bangert, VP of AI at Samsung Oct 06, 2022

Struggles of Setting up a Data Governance Program w/ Rupal Sumaria Sep 29, 2022

You have been asked to start the Data Governance program in your organization. Sounds easy, right? How do you start? How do you define success? Who needs to be part of the team?

Join Tim, Juan and Rupal Sumaria, Head of Governance of Penguin Random House UK to discuss the steps for a successful data governance program and what to avoid.

Key Takeaways

[00:06 - 03:16] Introduction and Toasts
[03:17 - 04:51] If you could only keep three apps on your phone, what would they be?
[04:52 - 07:33] Struggles in setting up a data governance program
[07:40 - 09:42] Rupal's presentation at the data.world summit
[09:46 - 13:03] Networking and communicating early while creating the data governance program
[13:07 - 15:06] Who Rupal was collaborating with while setting up the data governance program
[15:06 - 17:34] When was the last time you spoke to sales and marketing?
[17:34 - 19:32] A tailored approach to reaching other departments
[19:32 - 22:56] Tips for when you're struggling with engagement
[22:56 - 26:42] Change the game, don't make it boring
[26:48 - 32:14] Companies have to measure ROI
[34:14 - 36:54] A four step process to data governance
[36:54 - 39:10] Where to start, departmentally
[39:13 - 40:28] Advice for those "stuck" in data governance roles
[40:28 - 41:34] Is there anything Rupal would have done differently, two years down the line?
[41:51 - 42:58] Data governance technology
[43:24 - 45:41] Rupals tip's for navigating processing technology tools
[45:43 - 48:59] Lightning round
[49:02 - 56:51] Takeaways
[57:03 - 59:25] Three questions

Takeaways with Rupal Sumaria Sep 29, 2022

BONUS EPISODE: Live from Big Data London Sep 23, 2022

Keeping it 100 about metadata; the data stack glue w/ Fraser Harris, VP of Product, Fivetran Sep 22, 2022

Answering critical business questions relies on integrating data from a variety of systems. But it takes a lot of work to understand what the disparate data means and how it all fits together. How do we make data as reliable as an electricity?

Join Tim Gasper, Juan Sequeda and Fraser Harris, VP of Product at Fivetran, as they celebrate the 100th live episode of Catalog & Cocktails and discuss how #metadata, #datacatalogs, and #dataintegration act as the power source for your connected enterprise

Key Takeaways:

[02:02 - 03:49] Cheers to 100th episode, good health, children, and sky miles
[04:10 - 05:11] Keeping it 100, Millennial and Gen Z slang
[05:12 - 07:05] What metadata means to Fraser, the data about the data
[07:07 - 10:00] Fivetran's new metadata API
[11:32 - 13:33] Action, enforcement, and results in understanding data management
[13:52 - 17:51] Data contracts and the interface
[17:53 - 20:07] Upstream notifications and transforming data
[20:55 - 24:01] Perspectives on having a system and record owner for data contracts
[24:31 - 30:38] Representing business process change in contract evolutions
[30:40 - 31:58] Cultures around data at newer companies
[32:15 - 34:34] The two main use cases of Fivetran's data and the impact analysis
[34:34 - 36:25] Two dimensions to data proactivity, data maturity and company size
[36:26 - 41:26] Steering data complexity to simplicity, business value behavior and technology costs
[41:28 - 43:47] Reliability and data pipeline
[43:52 - 45:10] What Fraser wants to see happen around metadata
[45:10 - 47:15] The process of migrating to the cloud and adopting new data policies
[48:47 - 55:25] Lightning round
[55:28 - 01:00:43] Tim & Juan's takeaways
[01:00:57 - 01:02:49] Three questions for Fraser
[01:04:43 - 01:05:14] Next week's guest, Rupal Sumaria from Penguin Random House

Takeaways of EPISODE 100 w/ Fraser Harris Sep 22, 2022

The Future of Data Catalogs w/ Ole Olesen-Bagneux Sep 15, 2022

Data Catalogs are at the center of every enterprise’s data strategy. It’s important to explore the current state and how data catalogs are evolving. Who better to talk about Data Catalog than the author of the upcoming O’Reilly book “The Enterprise Data Catalog”, Ole Olesen-Bagneux from GN.

Join Tim, Juan, Ole to discuss the future of data catalogs and why knowledge is at the center.

Conversation highlights:

[00:07 - 03:06] Intro & Drinks
[03:10 - 05:11] Warm up, if data catalog were a cocktail what would it be
[05:19 - 07:06] Where the hell are data catalogs going
[07:07 - 09:01] What the library and information sciences world is bringing to data catalogs
[09:03 - 10:43] Don't think that catalogs should move away from a Google Paradigm
[10:43 - 12:14] Finding more valuable data sets, and Boolean queries
[12:16 - 16:23] Accessing what is inside a catalog and thinking about metadata
[16:27 - 23:36] The "shopping experience" and expressive ways of searching
[23:44 - 26:55] How cataloging intersects and impacts search and metadata
[26:55 - 29:00] Catalogs will evolve into repositories and a thesaurus
[29:01 - 32:05] The lifecycles of data and system life cycles
[32:24 - 35:19] The POSMAD Framework
[35:26 - 38:56] Data monetization and modern data architecture
[38:57 - 42:11] The potential for POSMAD and practical relation to data catalogs
[42:16 - 43:15] Here's the data, what are you going to do with it?
[43:19 - 44:30] Data to Information to knowledge to wisdom
[44:40 - 47:06] Cataloging ontologies and knowledge layers
[47:07 - 50:00] Knowledge graphs and combining with simple search and browse features
[50:18 - 56:34] Lightning round
[56:35 - 01:02:12] Tim and Juan talk takeaways
[01:02:17 - 01:05:55] Three questions about data, life, and the show's next guest

Takeaways with Ole Olesen-Bagneux Sep 15, 2022

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Ole Olesen-Bagneux, author of O’Reilly “The Enterprise Data Catalog, discuss the future of data catalogs.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming show.

Data Engineering: where are we and where are we going? w/ Joe Reis and Matt Housley of Ternary Data Sep 08, 2022

What is the state of Data engineering today and where is it going (or should it be going)? Who better to talk about Data Engineering than the authors of the recent O’Reilly book “Fundamentals of Data Engineering”, Joe Reis and Matt Housley from Ternary Data.

Join Tim, Juan, Joe and Matt to discuss the state of data engineering.

Conversation highlights:

[00:44] Introduction to Joe Reis and Matt Housley
[03:24] Warm up: what have you engineered or built that has gone terribly wrong?
[08:28] Data engineering tools and magpie syndrome
[13:15] How often and where do you see data teams stumbling to get the value out of the technology they have?
[17:08] Thoughts on diving deep into technologies where there is a skills gap
[19:39] The curse of familiarity in the context of tools
[23:55] Learning outside the context of an enterprise, and continously educating yourself on data
[27:23] Data modeling and where to start learning
[30:48] Data modeling = business concepts and definitions to relations among data
[32:05] The human aspect and technical side of data modeling
[36:19] Business literacy for data engineers
[38:39] The lifecycle of data
[43:02] Analytics engineering, the knowledge scientists
[46:09] Roles within data engineering and bifurcation
[48:26 The future of data engineering and tabular data
[52:12] Auto Machine Learning and Tabular Data
[55:00] Lightning round
[01:01:01] Tim and Juan's takeaways
[01:06:18] Three questions about data, life, resources and the show's next guest

Takeaways with Joe Reis and Matt Housley of Ternary Data Sep 08, 2022

Catalog & Cocktails: Bonus Episode with John Kutay Sep 03, 2022

Lucid Streaming; how to take full advantage of data streaming

Data streaming, Stream Processing, Real-time analytics, operational analytics — what is this? What’s the difference?
Most important use cases for data streaming
There are lots of misconceptions especially for the MDS crowd (not as much enterprise) between fast batch vs streaming
Memory-first processing (in-memory) vs disk space batch jobs
Change data capture (and only capture of change)
Data warehouses are now tying to support streaming more (like Snowflake)
This will be a big deal to make it so that more streaming can happen
Streaming warehouses (Rockset, Materialize) vs data streaming
Lineage - transformed data - can I trust this data I'm looking at
How does data streaming and lineage come together? What’s unique about lineage in a streaming context?
If time: what does it mean to do streaming data products in a data mesh context?

Your thoughts become action; going from Thought Leadership to Practice w/ Roel and Valentijn of Vopak Sep 01, 2022

You are listening to great talks, podcasts, webinars on how to improve and take your data and analytics to the next level. You want to take all these ideas and start implementing them in your organization. But how do you start? Join Tim, Juan and Roel Pot, Global Data Manager at Vopak where they discuss how to go from thought leadership to practice.

Conversation highlights:

[01:09] Today's drinks
[05:02] Sifting through noise and convincing your organization on the importance of data
[07:11] Challenging tradition in data governance and modeling
[09:53] Data as an asset and finding business value
[14:06] Data and business literacy through the data academy
[18:16] Bridging the gap in language, business, and data literacy
[19:48] The academy's purpose
[21:16] Building Vopak into a resilient company to last another 400 years
[25:21] How being an asset-rich business has affected Vopak's data strategy
[27:45] Connecting the dots with data acquisition and distributed systems
[29:58] Decentralized teams and better collaboration
[31:51] Real-time data sensors and minimizing time for data analysis
[35:24] Why real-time for analytics?
[36:24] To Data Mesh, or Not To Data Mesh
[38:46] Self-service and understanding ways of gathering and processing data
[40:19] Different roles and the confusion it can cause within organizations

Takeways with Roel and Valentijn Sep 01, 2022

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode with Roel and Valentijn from Vopak.

Build bridges. Don’t Burn them. W/ Vip Parmar, WPP Aug 25, 2022

Catalog & Cocktails is BACK! Tune in for the SEASON FOUR PREMIERE with hosts Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper!

Bridging the gap between business and IT is an age-old problem. IT doesn’t understand the business. The business doesn’t understand IT. Everyone looks at IT and business as if they were separate and point fingers, when they should actually be together.

Join Tim, Juan and Vipul P., Global Head of Data Management at WPP where they discuss approaches to bridge the gap between business and IT.

Conversation Highlights:

[01:10] Today's Drinks
[03:26] Two things that typically wouldn't go together, but do really well
[05:17] Vip's thoughts on bridging the gap between business and IT
[08:19] Empathy, curiosity, and measuring business value
[09:58] Empowering teams to ask questions, and thinking about different company cultures
[14:18] On defining roadmaps and determining business value
[16:37] A culture around data and the interplay between business and IT
[20:57] Data stewards and the idea of embedded roles
[24:50] An ideal team structure for bridging the gap: data analysts, scientists, and super users
[26:33 ] The data mesh and future leaders of tomorrow
[28:30] Future leaders in data, and delivering for both IT and business needs
[30:10] Empowering data literacy and learning paths
[35:24] Incorporating IT and data knowledge in employee onboarding
[41:19] The role of technology in bridging the business and IT gap
[45:15] Lightning Round
[51:02] Takeaways
[55:48] Three questions for VIP
[01:00:08] Next week: Raoul Pott

Season 4 Premiere Takeaways Aug 25, 2022

Catalog & Cocktails is BACK! Tune in for the SEASON FOUR PREMIERE with hosts Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper!

Bridging the gap between business and IT is an age-old problem. IT doesn’t understand the business. The business doesn’t understand IT. Everyone looks at IT and business as if they were separate and point fingers, when they should actually be together.

Join Tim, Juan and Vipul P., Global Head of Data Management at WPP where they discuss approaches to bridge the gap between business and IT.

Bonus Episode: Juan’s Trip Takeaways from MIT CDOIQ Jul 28, 2022

Juan's Trip Takeaways from MIT CDOIQ

Season 3: Bonus Episode with Producer of the show, Karli Burghoff Jul 14, 2022

Ever wondered how Catalog & Cocktails happens?

How does the show go from an idea to a full-blown episode every single week?

Karli Burghoff, Producer of Catalog & Cocktails AND data.world Demand Generation Specialist, joins this bonus episode to talk about the processes, pains and prizes of creating a podcast. Oh, and she roasts the hosts multiple times in this episode too, don't miss that.

Season 3 Finale Jun 30, 2022

Join Juan and Tim for the Season Three Finale of Catalog & Cocktails. The hosts discuss the takeaways of the takeaways, best guest moments and valuable advice from some of the guests from the last 20 episodes!

Data Models are Divas w/ Ergest Xheblati Jun 23, 2022

We live in a data first world. Give me more and more data. But what about the meaning of that data? How should the data be modeled so it can be easily understood and consumed by data scientist and analyst?

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Ergest Xheblati, will live discuss why data modeling should be at the core of an enterprise.

This episode will also cover:

How data modeling is going to change the world moving forward.
How to start in data modeling
Why are data models such freakin divas?

Takeaways with Ergest Xheblati Jun 23, 2022

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Ergest Xheblati, will live discuss why data modeling should be at the core of an enterprise.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming show.

Don’t let good metadata go to waste w/ Peter Kapur Jun 16, 2022

LIVE from the Snowflake Summit in Vegas. The hosts of Catalog & Cocktails sit down with Peter Kapur from WM to explore how we should be getting true value from metadata, data and analytics.

Takeaways with Peter Kapur Jun 16, 2022

LIVE from the Snowflake Summit in Vegas. The hosts of Catalog & Cocktails sit down with Peter Kapur from WM to explore how we should be getting true value from metadata, data and analytics.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming show.

Getting all meta about data w/ Sanjeev Mohan Jun 09, 2022

So much of the focus of the analytics and vendor community today is on data. We have solutions for data visualization, warehousing, observability, cataloging, transformations, and more. But data is nothing without context. So why does metadata tend to draw the short straw?

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Sanjeev Mohan, former Gartner analyst and principal at SanjMo, explore how metadata acts as a proverbial travel guide for your data and analytics journey.

This episode will also cover:

Visions of a data catalog, the ordinary and profound
Who needs lineage and why
In the Magic Quadrant of summer foods, what goes in the leaders quadrant, and what’s in niche?

Takeaways with Sanjeev Mohan Jun 09, 2022

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Sanjeev Mohan, former Gartner analyst and principal at SanjMo, explore how metadata acts as a proverbial travel guide for your data and analytics journey.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming show.

Does our understanding of data bias our analytics outcomes? Jun 02, 2022

Why do some data-driven decisions seem to go so disastrously wrong? Ironically, the answer to this question likely isn’t found in the data at all, but rather our subconscious. In a time when companies have never been more data rich, it’s often our inherent information biases that doom critical analytics and data science work.

Is it possible to take the bias out of data work? That’s the question we ponder in this episode featuring Ciaran Dynes, chief product officer at Matillion.

This episode will also cover:

What responsibilities companies and people have to curb information bias
How hypothesis testing and experimentation can improve data work
What’s the most egregious example of information bias in the wild?

Takeaways with Ciaran Dynes Jun 02, 2022

Is it possible to take the bias out of data work? That’s the question Tim and Juan ponder in this episode featuring Ciaran Dynes, chief product officer at Matillion.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming show.

The Data Entrepreneur’s Essentials w/ Brett Hurt May 26, 2022

What does it take to build a successful data & analytics business? An entrepreneurial spirit, a problem-solving mindset, a sense of adventure, and the strength to get started.

We are live from the data.world All Hands and joined by Brett Hurt, CEO and co-founder of data.world, author, and serial entrepreneur. Brett will share what it’s like to fundraise and scale a data company in this challenging economic climate, who inspires him and why, and how he sees the data and analytics landscape evolving.

This episode will also feature:

How to hire and retain great people
What we can all learn from failure
Recommendations for wines under $20

Takeaways with Brett Hurt May 26, 2022

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Brett discuss what it’s like to fundraise and scale a data company in this challenging economic climate, who inspires him and why, and how he sees the data and analytics landscape evolving.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

A Roadmap to Data Mesh Success w/ Omar Khawaja May 19, 2022

Some of the greatest breakthroughs throughout human history can be attributed to the biotech field, from life-saving vaccines to advances in supply chains. So it’s no surprise that biotech is also a fast-mover when it comes to innovative socio-technical paradigms like data mesh.

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Omar Khawaja, Global Head of BI at Roche, break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of the company's data mesh journey.

This episode will also feature:

How to identify potential use cases and pick the one to prioritize
How to think about ownership when data and tools are widely distributed
You’ll be at Snowflake Summit in Las Vegas next month. So will we. What’s the best buffet food?

Takeaways with Omar Khawaja May 19, 2022

Some of the greatest breakthroughs throughout human history can be attributed to the biotech field, from life-saving vaccines to advances in supply chains. So it’s no surprise that biotech is also a fast-mover when it comes to innovative socio-technical paradigms like data mesh.

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Omar Khawaja, Global Head of BI at Roche, break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of the company's data mesh journey.

This episode will also feature:

How to identify potential use cases and pick the one to prioritize
How to think about ownership when data and tools are widely distributed
You’ll be at Snowflake Summit in Las Vegas next month. So will we. What’s the best buffet food?

Is your Modern Data Stack delivering value? w/ Sarah Krasnik May 12, 2022

Everyone has an opinion on the modern data stack. What’s in it? What’s out? What’s the cool new buzzy technology? Unfortunately, it’s often the most important question that people fail to ask: How are your tools delivering value?

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Sarah Krasnik get back to first principles and remind us why everyone was excited about the modern data stack to begin with.

This episode will also feature:

How to think about “minimum viable data stack” vs. modern data stack
Criteria for evaluating the minimum viability of data tools
You once compared data self-service to shopping for frozen yogurt. Defend your most controversial frozen yogurt take.

S3E18 Takeaways with Sarah Krasnik May 12, 2022

In this episode, Tim, Juan, and Sarah Krasnik get back to first principles and remind us why everyone was excited about the modern data stack to begin with.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Automating the Enterprise: LIVE from the Knowledge Graph Conference w/ Francois Scharffe May 05, 2022

How do the most successful companies stitch together data governance, understanding, access, and use to create active and engaged data cultures? The answer, as usual, can be found in the knowledge graph.

And what better place to talk nodes and edges than the Knowledge Graph Conference in New York City? In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by conference chair, Francois Scharffe, to discuss how knowledge graphs are driving the automated enterprise.

This episode will also feature:

How to apply knowledge graphs to address critical business problems
What automation looks like when powered by a knowledge graph
What kind of graph is the New York Subway system?

S3E17 Takeaways with Francois Scharffe May 05, 2022

What better place to talk nodes and edges than the Knowledge Graph Conference in New York City? In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by conference chair, Francois Scharffe, to discuss how knowledge graphs are driving the automated enterprise.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

A layered approach to data meaning and measurement w/ Nick Handel Apr 28, 2022

Data architecture is more layered than an onion. Data, metadata, access, transform, virtualization, visualization. And with the modern data stack, we’re now talking more about semantics and metrics layers.

This week, Tim and Juan are joined by Nick Handel, CEO of Transform, to talk all things semantics and metrics and why enterprises need to be thinking more about more about relationships.

This episode will also feature:

Clear definitions for semantic layer and metrics layer and the relationships between them
How to design your architecture to take advantage of semantics and metrics
Cake, dip, or sandwich. What is the best layered food?

S3E16 Takeaways with Nick Handel Apr 28, 2022

This week, Tim and Juan are joined by Nick Handel, CEO of Transform, to talk all things semantics and metrics and why enterprises need to be thinking more about more about relationships.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Everybody’s an imposter sometimes w/ Steve Perry Apr 21, 2022

It’s not easy being a “data leader.” For one, you have to advocate for good data practices at your company. But you may also feel a strong desire to create your own brand on social media and at conferences. With the constant noise, posturing, and rigorous debate over every facet of data and analytics, this can be daunting. And sometimes, you feel like an imposter.

In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Steve Perry, Director of Data and Analytics at Genius Sports, to talk about the challenges that rising data leaders face, and how to block out the noise, and chart your path to success.

This episode will also feature:

How to get over your fear of saying something stupid in a public square
Success metrics for data leaders
What’s an awkward conversation you’ve walked into and quickly realized you don’t belong?

S3E15 Takeaways with Steve Perry Apr 21, 2022

In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Steve Perry, Director of Data and Analytics at Genius Sports, to talk about the challenges that rising data leaders face, and how to block out the noise, and chart your path to success.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Why are we so bad at this modern data stack? w/ Chad Sanderson. Apr 14, 2022

Imagine sitting down at a restaurant. Your food is already on the table, and the waiter hands you a menu of different dishes and silverware you can use to consume your meal. That’s a completely backwards experience, but it’s kind of how data architecture works today. We have our data in cheap storage, and then we purchase software that helps us consume it. Is this also wrong?

In this special episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Chad Sanderson, Head of Product, Data Platform at Convoy, to discuss whether or not we're incorrectly architecting our modern data stack.

This episode will also feature:

Lessons learned from Amazon and Facebook on building services before data
How to align your data team with business goals
Getting data architecture right often requires paying down legacy debt. What’s something you recently purchased that you maybe shouldn't have?

S3E14 Takeaways with Chad Sanderson Apr 14, 2022

In this special episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Chad Sanderson, Head of Product, Data Platform at Convoy, to discuss whether we’re incorrectly architecting our modern data stack.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Can data policy drive data productivity? w/ Nong Li Apr 07, 2022

Everyone - including us - wants to talk about how to get value from your data, but the truth is you can’t even get your data program off the ground without policy. Policies guide our decisions, our access controls, and even our data supply chains. But can policy make us more productive?

In this special episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Nong Li, CEO of Okera, to discuss why and how the data world should be thinking about policies.

This episode will also feature:

How to think about policy as it relates to GDPR, CCPA, and the right to be forgotten
The impact of the modern data stack on data policy
One of the lyrics In the 1990 Depeche Mode song, “Policy of Truth,” is “Never again Is what you swore, the time before.” What’s something you swore you’d never do again, but did it anyway?

S3E13 Takeaways with Nong Li Apr 07, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Nong Li, CEO of Okera, to discuss why and how the data world should be thinking about policies.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

The future of data is knowledge w/ Bob Muglia Mar 31, 2022

Companies have most of the last decade in pursuit of data. We’ve waded through data lakes, explored data warehouses, routed through data hubs, and migrated our data to the cloud. But the end goal was never about the data. It was the pursuit of knowledge.

In this special episode, Tim and Juan are joined by a legend in our industry. Bob Muglia, the former CEO of Snowflake, will hang out and chat about the modern data stack, new approaches to governance, and the search for the enterprise holy grail… knowledge

This episode will also feature:

Demystifying the approaches between lakehouses and warehouses
Interesting developments in data governance technology
You were the first product manager for SQL Server. What’s your favorite movie SQL?

S3E12 Takeaways with Bob Muglia Mar 31, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Bob Muglia, former CEO of Snowflake, to talk about the future of data; knowledge

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Agile like a fox, but for data. W/ Shane Gibson from AgileData.io Mar 17, 2022

Agile processes in software development date back to the beginning of the century. We’re now seeing concepts like scrum and sprints make their way into the world of data. data.world is even applying agile to data governance.

But what exactly does it mean to be agile in data? What’s the end product, and how do you measure and scale the practice in your organization? Join Tim, Juan and special guest Shane Gibson, Founder of AgileData.io to talk agile in the domain of data.

This episode will feature:

How and why you should apply agile practices to data
Why your sprints should actually be three weeks, not two
As a longtime fan of the podcast, who’s your favorite host, and why isn’t it Tim?

S3E11 Takeaways with Shane Gibson Mar 17, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Shane Gibson from AgileData.io, to talk agile in the domain of data.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Your privacy is my currency with Patricia Thaine from Private AI Mar 10, 2022

What does the word, “privacy” mean to you? Is it about being left alone? Being forgotten? In today’s world of ubiquitous digital apps, we think about privacy and utility as a give and get. To get the best experiences from Google, Facebook, and Amazon, I need to give up some measure of privacy. But, is that true?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Patricia Thaine, CEO from Private AI to discuss the state of data privacy and how enterprises and customers should think about it.

This episode will feature:

Examples of privacy done right and wrong
How to balance privacy and customer experience
Which company’s privacy policy is required reading for insomniacs?

S3E10 Takeaways with Patricia Thaine Mar 10, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Patricia Thaine, CEO from Private AI to discuss the state of data privacy and how enterprises and customers should think about it.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Are you swimming upstream by not streaming data? w/ Arjun Narayan from Materialize Mar 03, 2022

Are you on Team Batch or Team Stream? Next-gen data warehouses, lakehouses, ELT, and orchestration have made batch more modern and popular than ever, but more and more use cases - from fraud detection to smart energy grids - rely on continuous streams to make real-time decisions. Is streaming the coming revolution, or just another way to process data?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Arjun Narayan, CEO of Materialize to discuss all things data streams and how these pipelines fuel the modern data stack.

This episode will feature:

Reasons why streaming analytics still kind of sucks
The future of batch processing in the modern data stack
Brook, creek, or river: Which is the best stream and why?

S3E9 Takeaways with Arjun Narayan Mar 03, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Arjun Narayan, CEO of Materialize to discuss all things data streams and how these pipelines fuel the modern data stack.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Why are data transformations such a big deal? Live from the dbt Coalesce Happy Hour. Feb 24, 2022

Data transformations, dbt, data catalogs, data teams, data culture, data mesh. It’s a lot. But pour yourself a drink and enjoy this special edition of Catalog & Cocktails.

Hosts Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper broadcast live from the 2021 dbt Coalesce conference and were joined by special guests, Meetesh Karia and Claire Look from The Zebra to take a glimpse into the future of analytics engineering.

This episode will feature:

Why is dbt such a big deal?
Data teams and the role of an Analytics Engineer
What have you transformed (you, someone else, a product, …) in your own life?

The easiest data is always the hardest to model w/ Karen Lopez Feb 17, 2022

Have you ever had a tax form sent to the wrong address, a credit card with no suspicious activity get deactivated, or been billed for a service you’ve never used? If so, you may be the victim of poor data modeling.

Join Tim, Juan and Karen Lopez, aka @datachick from InfoAdvisors, to discuss what assumptions people and applications make about the simplest data. We’ll also try and answer the question, “why are phone numbers, and addresses so damn hard to model?!?”

This episode will feature:

Why modeling simple things is harder than it seems, and what we can do about it
The best and worst data modeling fails
If Sports Illustrated had an issue dedicated to data models, what would be on the cover?

S3E7 Takeaways with Karen Lopez Feb 17, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and Karen Lopez, aka @datachick from InfoAdvisors, to discuss what assumptions people and applications make about the simplest data. We’ll also try and answer the question, “why are phone numbers, and addresses so damn hard to model?!?”

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

The three most important letters in data & analytics are W-H-Y w/ Luke Slotwinski from Prologis Feb 10, 2022

Analytics are great for answering the “what.” Did we hit our sales targets or not? Did our supply chain hold up under the strain of a prolonged pandemic? But smart data leaders recognize that real transformational insights come from people, processes, and tools that answer the bigger question of “why.”

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Luke Slotwinski, VP of Data & Analytics at Prologis, to discuss how data leaders can empower their teams by asking for more from their data.

This episode will feature:

Questions everyone should be asking about their data
Critical tools and skills for diving deeper into data and analysis
Why did the chicken cross the road? Data-driven answers only, please.

S3E6 Takeaways with Luke Slotwinski Feb 10, 2022

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Luke Slotwinski, VP of Data & Analytics at Prologis, to discuss how data leaders can empower their teams by asking for more from their data.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Can Agile Practices Disrupt Data Governance? w/ Laura Madsen from Moxy Analytics Feb 03, 2022

For all the incredible innovation in the field of data and analytics, one practice unfortunately remains stuck in neutral. Data governance, when applied with an agile approach that aligns with business objectives and focuses people first, can be a boon for data-driven organizations. However, most companies today still think about governance in terms of tools, workflows, or privacy and compliance.

If data governance had a help line, it would likely be staffed by this week’s guest. Join Tim, Juan and Laura Madsen, author of “Disrupting Data Governance,” for a discussion on how we can all be better ambassadors for data.

This episode will feature:

How to talk to your execs about agile data governance
How to measure the effectiveness of your governance program
What’s your favorite story of data governance malpractice?

S3E5 Takeways with Laura Madsen Feb 03, 2022

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktailsv with Laura Madsen, CEO of Moxy Analytics and author of “Disrupting Data Governance,” for a discussion on how we can all be better ambassadors for data.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Can the Data Mesh be Governed? w/ Dora Boussias Jan 27, 2022

Data mesh continues to be a hot topic in 2022, and it feels like we’re finally past the definition stage. The big question to resolve this year is: how do you do federated data governance in a decentralized environment? Can you even do it?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Dora Boussias, Director of Enterprise Architecture and Data Strategy, for a live brainstorming session on how to implement data governance for the data mesh.

This episode will feature:

The difference between data mesh and virtualization
Best practices for federated data governance
How long before we start seeing companies offering a “data mesh” as a product?

S3E4 Takeaways with Dora Boussias Jan 27, 2022

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktails with Dora Boussias, Director of Enterprise Architecture and Data Strategy.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

What good is a Metrics Layer? w/ Benn Stancil from Mode Jan 20, 2022

We all like to measure things: height, weight, company revenue, active users on our SaaS platform. Measurement, and a common understanding of that measure is critical whether you’re a doctor, an athlete, or a business decision maker. Self-service analytics is much easier today, but without shared definitions for the metrics we’re reporting on, trust in analytics is still relatively low. Is it time for a Metrics Layer?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Benn Stancil, chief analytics officer and founder of Mode to discuss all things Metrics Layer including what it is and why we should care.

This episode will feature:

Where does a metrics layer fit within the modern data stack
What tools and skills are needed to make this a reliable part of your data strategy
In honor of the Friday Fight post, what is the most controversial post/blog you’ve ever written, and what kind of feedback did you receive?

S3E3 Takeaways with Benn Stancil Jan 20, 2022

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktails with Benn Stancil, chief analytics officer and founder of Mode

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Modern Data Work at Drizly w/ Emily Hawkins Jan 13, 2022

Sure, it’s fun to chat with data executives and thought leaders, but this season, we are focusing on the people who roll up their sleeves and get the data work done. And there’s no better place for a podcast like ours to start than with a data practitioner at Drizly.

Special guest Emily Hawkins, analytics and data platform lead, joins Tim and Juan to share how the data team and the data stack were established and how the e-commerce platform is evolving following the company’s acquisition by Uber.

This episode will feature:

The role of analytics engineer on a high-performing data team
The evolving role of self-service BI
What’s a delivery service you wish we had today that doesn’t exist yet?

S3E2 Takeaways with Emily Hawkins Jan 13, 2022

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktails with Emily Hawkins from Drizly.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Will 2022 change how we think about data? w/ Sarah Catanzaro Jan 06, 2022

The new year means it’s time for another trek around the sun. It’s also time to make a few predictions about what might change in data & analytics. Is it time for data practitioners to participate in boardroom conversations? Will we see data teams embedded in business units? What new technologies will become part of the modern data stack?

Join Tim, Juan and Sarah Catanzaro from Amplify Partners,, to discuss what’s in store in 2022.

This episode will feature:

Suggestions on organizational design that keeps data closer to the business teams.
Ways to address data gaps in strategic decision making
What was the best/worst prediction you made at the start of 2021?

Season Three Premier Takeaways with Sarah Catanzaro Jan 06, 2022

Juan and Tim sit down for the Catalog & Cocktails Season Three Premier with Sarah Catanzaro from Amplify Partners to discuss what’s in store in 2022.

This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Season Two Finale!!! Dec 23, 2021

Let's wrap Season Two of Catalog & Cocktails with the Takeaways of the Takeaways!

Please be quiet. The machines are talking. w/ Steve Whitla Dec 16, 2021

In this wildly diverse yet hyperconnected world, it's hard enough to understand how people communicate with one another. So how do machines do it?

Join Juan, Tim, and special guest, Steve Whitla from Visual Meaning for a discussion about how humans and systems talk to one another, and even have meaningful conversations.

Also in this episode:

The role of semantics in reaching shared meaning
What constitutes "understanding" when it comes to machine to machine communication
Better talking machine: K.I.T.T. or Johnny 5?

What happens when everyone is a data worker? w/ Kelly Wright from Gong Dec 09, 2021

In a relatively short time, we’ve gone from collecting and neglecting data to managing, enriching, and learning from data. We are in the age of collective data empowerment, where user-friendly apps and data ubiquity mean almost anyone can answer complex business questions. So why does the “data-driven” enterprise still sound like a pipe dream?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Kelly Wright, president and COO at Gong and former EVP at Tableau, for a discussion on data and analytics past, present, and future.

This episode will feature:

Ways organizations can maximize the value of data they are already collecting
How to address challenges with data and application sprawl
The Gong Show was a popular TV talent show in the 70s. What was your favorite game show growing up?

Modern Data Stack: Technology, Methodology, or both? w/ Nick Schrock Dec 02, 2021

The modern data stack is often defined by the type of technologies that exist within it. Cloud-based, open source, low/no code tools, ELT, and reverse ETL. But surely there’s more to it… isn’t there?

What holds the modern data stack together and makes it the architecture of choice for so many data-driven enterprises? Join Tim, Juan and special guest, Nick Schrock, founder of Elemental and creator of Dagster and GraphQL, to chat about all things MDS.

This episode will feature:

Is modern data stack a methodology or a set of disparate cloud technologies?
Thoughts on consolidation among MDS tools

Describe your reaction upon glancing at Matt Turck’s latest data landscape diagram

Long live the monolith? w/ Andy Palmer from Tamr Nov 18, 2021

It wasn’t that long ago that enterprise software was dominated by proprietary data architectures from the likes of IBM, Oracle, and SAP. Once you made a selection, you were stuck with it for better or worse, in sickness and in health.

But that’s not the case today. The methodical movement towards resilient, open SaaS applications and best-of-breed tools has ushered in the era of DataOps buoyed by the “modern data stack.” But, is this a good thing?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Andy Palmer, CEO of Tamr, to talk open vs. closed ecosystems and how to decide what’s right for you.

This episode will feature:

How DataOps will reshape the next wave of best-of-breed systems
Will monoliths make a comeback?
What was a big purchase you made that you almost immediately regretted?

Is self-service BI the answer? w/ Cindi Howson Nov 11, 2021

Self-service is great for listening to music, pumping gas, and figuring out what to binge watch on TV. But is self-service really what we want from our analytics? What happens to the business world when everyone is a data analyst?

Tim, Juan, and special guest Cindi Howson, chief data strategy officer at ThoughtSpot and host of The Data Chief Podcast explore the positives and potential downsides of data democratization and how to drive data cultures that bias for good.

This episode will feature:

How BI in the enterprise evolved from the domain of the few to a tool for the many
Why change management is critical for improving data cultures
What’s something that’s not self-service today but probably should be?

Data tools: the good, the bad, and the ugly w/ Erik Bernhardsson Nov 04, 2021

New data tools drop daily, but are they worth the hype? Some launch with overinflated expectations, while others solve a problem that doesn’t really exist. On the flip side, there are tools that transform the enterprise and have the potential to change the way we do data forever. The question is, how can you tell the difference?

Special guest Erik Bernhardsson, formerly with Better.com and Spotify, joins Tim and Juan for a conversation on data tools; the good, bad and the ugly.

This episode will feature:

An overview of data tool types and who they serve
How to define “good, bad and ugly”
What’s your favorite spaghetti western movie?

Data is the new... Herman Miller Aeron Chair? w/ Doug Laney Oct 28, 2021

If data, and information more broadly, is a company's most important asset, then why is it so often treated with less respect than office furniture? It's in various states of disarray, often unaccounted for, and employees bring it home against corporate policy.

This week, we're joined by Doug Laney, author of the best-selling book, "Infonomics: How to Monetize, Manage, and Measure Information as an Asset for Competitive Advantage.” We'll talk about taking better care of your data, so it can take better care of you.

This episode will feature:

Tips for how to truly measure the value of all your information assets
Steps for getting your information house in order
Is data the new oil, bacon, gold, oxygen, currency, or sand?

The Data Mesh Debate w/ hosts Juan and Tim Oct 21, 2021

“What is a data mesh?” It’s one of the most frequently asked questions on this podcast, and is almost a microcosm for data and analytics as a whole. It may be the next big thing. It may be yet another passing fad in architectural design. We compared and contrasted it with data fabric in Episode 32 and spoke with Zhamak Dehghani, the founder of the data mesh paradigm in Episode 44. We even hosted a special panel discussion dedicated to data mesh.

After all these discussions, we are still trying to figure out what it is. So, we’re settling this the only way we know how: a good old-fashioned debate. Only one side can win.

This episode will feature:

The definitive(ish) definition of data mesh
A look at why organizations struggle to understand and implement it
What is your data “hot take” that everyone else disagrees with?

Sure, you’re responsible, but are you ethical? w/ Partha Srinivasa Oct 14, 2021

When we think about good, responsible data stewardship, we often think in terms of compliance and governance. We talk about access, trust, and consumption. But there’s another dimension we must consider if we’re to be truly responsible with data. We simply can’t ignore the role of ethics in data use.

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Partha Srinivasa, award-winning CIO/CTO/CDO and current CDO of Verisk, for a conversation about data responsibility and ethics.

This episode will feature:

Common misperceptions about data and ethics
How to build ethics into your data practice
Can you be both ethical and a fan of the morally dubious, Seinfeld?

A data analyst, scientist, and engineer walk into a bar...w/ Danielle Oberdier Oct 07, 2021

Quick, what’s the difference between a data engineer and a data analyst? One preps the data, the other analyzes the data, right? A data scientist, meanwhile, analyzes more complex and disorganized data. The truth is all three of these roles perform overlapping functions leading to an incredible amount of confusion in the job market.

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Danielle Oberdier, founder of DiKayo Data and host of the popular DataFemme podcast, to talk about the state of data jobs. How do we make sense of the roles that are out there today, who should companies be looking for in their hiring process, and what new and exciting data positions are starting to emerge?

This episode will feature:

Certifications that make you more marketable
How to stand among your peers in a crowded job market
What was the very first job you ever had?

Do we have a data infrastructure crisis? w/ Mammad Zadeh Sep 30, 2021

Is your data infrastructure designed for the next decade of data work? Probably not, but are you at least heading in the right direction? It’s an existential question that often reveals fundamental flaws in the system.

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Mammad Zadeh, former VP of Engineering at Intuit, for a deep dive on data tools, leadership, and change management.

This episode will feature:

A look at the rocky road ahead for CDOs
How to effectively scale data teams
What's your crisis comfort food?

Fashion Week...but for data w/ Jans Aasman Sep 23, 2021

Fall summit 2021 is right around the corner!!!! Join speakers from Nationwide, ThoughtSpot and MANY MORE to discuss hot topics like Data Mesh, DataOps, and the future of data management on Sep. 29: data.world/events/summit

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With the hype of graph databases and knowledge graphs, a common (mis)practice is to quickly migrate your existing siloed data into a graph database. But be careful! You may just be bringing the complexity of your silos into the graph.

Join Tim, Juan and guest Jans Aasman from Franz Inc, the makers of AllegroGraph, for a conversation on why your graph-based machine learning and 360 projects should start with data modeling.

This episode will feature:

Data modeling approaches you should consider
Tips to avoid data modeling pitfalls
Juan and Tim striking their best model pose

How to think about data value w/ Lars Albertsson Sep 16, 2021

Don't forget to register for the data.world Fall summit 2021: data.world/events

We all strive to be data-driven. And yet we all instinctively know that we’re not very good at it. In fact, if you believe any number of recent surveys, it seems we may actually be getting worse at data. One reason for this is a misalignment on what success looks like. How do you define and measure it? What is the actual value of your data?

This week, Tim and Juan join Lars Albertsson, founder of Scling, to talk about data productivity and balancing a technology vs product-driven approach to data.

This episode will feature:

Companies that have truly unlocked data value and how they did it
Common missteps along the data maturity journey
What have you been practicing... but not actually getting any better at?

What’s the deal with Reverse ETL? w/ Tejas Manohar Sep 09, 2021

ETL (Extract Transform and Load) was the SOP for data integration for 25+ years. A decade ago the introduction of data lakes pushed transformation to the end of the process and into tools like Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift. Now the latest chatter in the data management industry is Reverse ETL. Shouldn’t we call this LTE?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Tejas Manohar, CEO of Hightouch for a conversation about Reverse ETL and why it matters now.

This episode will feature:

The evolution of data integration pipelines
Use cases for Reverse ETL
What other acronyms make you smh?

The Era of Data Usage w/ Mike Ferguson Sep 02, 2021

You can’t get from your home to the grocery simply by owning a car. You have to actually drive the vehicle to get to a place that delivers value. Sounds obvious right? But we don’t instinctively think this way when it comes to data. We focus so much on tools, processes, and architectures, but we don’t talk enough about actually using the data.

This week, Tim and Juan are joined by Mike Ferguson, managing director of Intelligent Business Strategies Limited to look at why we’re not using data nearly as effectively as we think and what can be done about it.

This episode will feature:

Data usage do’s and don’ts
How to get your company aligned on effective data use and measurement?
What’s the most expensive thing you bought that you’ve never used?

Can’t spell BUZZWORDS without BS w/ Kirk Borne of DataPrime AI Aug 26, 2021

We all want to get more value from our data, right? So should we wrangle it, prep it, classify it, mine it, or model it? Then once we’ve got our data squared away, should we do prescriptive or predictive analytics? And does that require real-time or just-in-time data? If we had a nickel for every buzzword we hear, we could afford far better podcasting equipment.

In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Kirk Borne, Chief Science Officer at Dataprime AI to demystify some of our most egregious buzzwords and look at what everyone’s going to be talking about next.

This episode will feature:

What is industry 4.0?
How can an edge be intelligent?
What is the buzzword that makes you want to pull your hair out the most?

Free-range, grass-fed, open-source data w/ Denise Gosnell of Datastax Aug 19, 2021

Open source software is one of the largest and fastest growing segments within the data landscape. And if you’re implementing DataOps practices or considering data mesh, openness and flexibility are key architectural principles.

This week, Juan and Tim are joined by Denise Gosnell, CDO of Datastax, to talk about the business of open source and how community-centric data applications are reshaping the enterprise.

This episode will feature:

A glimpse into the future of open source data
The difference between open source and open core
What open source tool best personifies your personality?

Documents and Clouds and Graphs, Oh My! w/ Emil Eifrem, CEO of Neo4j Aug 12, 2021

The data landscape has evolved substantially over the last decade. We’ve gone from data lakes to data hubs to lake houses. We see data represented as documents, columns, graphs, and time series. So how might this evolution continue over the next ten years?

To help us ponder this question, Juan and Tim are bringing in Emil Eifrem, CEO of Neo4j. We’ll take a look at how we got to this point, and what new data management challenges and opportunities await.

This episode will feature:

A look at database categories that may spring up over the next decade
Positives and negatives of database standardization
What’s changed the most about the hosts/guest over the past 10 years?

SEASON TWO KICKOFF w/ DJ PATIL Aug 04, 2021

We’re back in the office. Now what?

We roll into season two with a straightforward question: “Did we learn anything new about data work and data people during the pandemic?”

Who better to address that subject than DJ Patil, mathematician, entrepreneur, and the very first U.S. Chief Data Scientist? Join Tim, Juan, and DJ for a wide-ranging conversation on data cultures, architectures, roles, and enduring lessons from the past 16-months of largely remote work.

This episode will feature:

Hot new job titles and emerging opportunities
How to establish a new data culture built around hybrid work environments
Favorite podcast, book, or show discovered during the Pandemic

Special Edition: Panel on Data Architecture at the Knowledge Graph Conference Jul 06, 2021

*Corrected Audio*

Data Architecture is evolving and there are many questions with various perspectives. What is the balance between centralization and decentralization? How do you start treating data as a product? How do you incentivize people? What’s the role of Data Mesh, Data Fabric, Knowledge Graphs?

This special edition of Catalog and Cocktails is the Data Architecture panel from the Knowledge Graph Conference, moderated by Juan Sequeda. Listen and learn from Teresa Tung Chief Technologist of Accenture’s Cloud First group , Zhamak Dehghani director of emerging technologies at Thoughtworks and founder of Data Mesh concept, and Jay Yu, Distinguished Architect at Intuit.

You can watch the panel here and follow Juan’s takeaways.

SEASON ONE FINALE: Episode 50 Jun 03, 2021

What’s the old saying? “The journey IS the destination.”

What started as an experiment and a way to kick back with colleagues and peers on a video call, turned into a thriving, honest, no BS podcast about enterprise data management.

Hosts Juan and Tim embarked on this journey that turned into a 50-episode series. The episodes boasted conversation topics spanning from identity graphs, modern data stacks, and building data teams, all the way to data lineage, data trust issues and learning what a CDO actually does. Our audience heard vulnerable and transparent talks from leaders at companies like AirBnB, McKinsey and Company, Wunderman Thompson and more.

This season finale is a look back at season one and a candid talk about the lessons learned.

The Future of BI is AI May 27, 2021

Business intelligence has come a long way since the early days of IBM’s decision support systems. Today BI is the backbone of many data-driven organizations, and companies often look to BI tools to help them make accurate predictions.

In this episode, we take a look into the future of BI itself. Join Tim, Juan, and Ashley Kramer, the Chief Product Officer from Sisense, as they explore the intersection of BI, analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Other topics include:

How companies can take advantage of the convergence of BI and AI
Separating AI reality from AI fiction
What one thing would you want to know about your own future?

Knowledge is Power: Knowledge Management meets Data Management May 20, 2021

We always talk about managing metadata and data...but what about managing knowledge? It has to be more than keeping a spreadsheet of a business glossary!

Join Tim, Juan, and Joe Hilger from Enterprise Knowledge for a conversation about how the data management and knowledge management communities need to unite in order to best manage your unstructured and structured data.

Other topics include:

How to best manage unstructured and structured data?
Taxonomies, Knowledge Graphs: how does it fit?
What is one piece of knowledge that you know NOW that you wish you knew when you were younger?

Don’t Treat your Data Stack like a Fine Wine May 13, 2021

Classic Rock, historical paintings, and fine wine; some things are better left untouched. When it comes to your data stack however, that rule doesn’t apply.

Having the right foundation- a mix of tools, people, and processes- is absolutely essential to getting value from your data. Join Juan, Tim, and Brandon Chen from FiveTran for a chat about letting go of your organization’s old tools and processes and welcoming in the new.

Other topics include:

Obvious signs that it's time to change your data architecture
How to prevent your data stack from becoming another silo
Classic TV shows worth modernizing and rebooting

Data Organization: Reap what you Sow May 06, 2021

Every maturing company hits a point where the processes and systems that once worked no longer scale. Don’t let this happen to your data organization.

Join Juan, Tim, and this week’s guest, Meetesh Karia from The Zebra, while they live brainstorm about scaling data teams and processes. They’ll look at how the small seeds you plant along the journey can pay huge dividends later on. It all stems from the seeds you plant along the way; the people on your team, the balance of efficiency vs. resilience and the processes...

Other topics include:

How to strike a balance between efficiency and resilience
Structuring teams for continued success
If you could grow a garden of anything, what would it be? (Not the obvious; money)

What’s the Secret Recipe for DataOps? Apr 29, 2021

Accelerating the delivery of data applications is at the top of the to-do list for many enterprises. That requires overcoming friction in your data architecture, managing complex requirements, and handling a variety of semantics challenges.

Join Tim, Juan, and Chris Bergh from Data Kitchen for a conversation about DataOps. The trio will look at how this emerging data management methodology can improve the flow of knowledge within data teams.

Other topics include:

How to create the right DataOps culture
Measuring the value of your DataOps strategy
Worst reason you’ve been called into work on your day off

Why it’s time to mesh with your data architecture Apr 22, 2021

Mesh is everywhere. It’s in our clothes, our fishing nets, our Wifi networks, and now our data architecture. But what is a data mesh? Do you need one? And if so, how do you start?

Zhamak Dehghani is the director of Emerging Technologies at Thoughtworks and the leading expert on data mesh. We’ll chat about the emergence of the data mesh as a concept, why the approach works for eliminating architectural silos, and how it's producing more data-driven cultures.

Other topics include:

Key tools, technologies, and skills for adopting a data mesh
What to do if you’re data mesh curious
Inspiring architectural designs outside the data space

What do they teach at your Data Science U? Apr 15, 2021

The data science discipline is in a constant state of evolution with new techniques and applications being introduced almost daily. And this journey often begins at institutions of higher learning around the world. Many universities offer bachelors and masters degrees in data science, but are these programs adequately preparing the data professionals of tomorrow?

In this episode, Juan, Tim, and Prof George Fletcher of Eindhoven University of Technology will discuss the state of data science education and explore how these programs can be extended to satisfy industry needs.

Other topics include:

What universities get right and wrong about data science education
What skills we should be teaching that we aren’t today
What should be the mascot at Data Science University?

Power to the Data! Apr 07, 2021

Companies spend an obscene amount of money every year on data and analytics initiatives. And almost all of that spend goes toward applications that employ vastly different data models. Normalizing data structures is a painstaking process that most IT teams are used to by now. But should we normalize normalization?

In this episode, Juan, Tim, and Dave McComb, President of Semantic Arts and author of Software Wasteland and The Data-Centric Revolution, discuss what it takes to shift from an application-centric to a data-centric mindset.

Other topics include:

What it means to be data-centric
How to undo decades of questionable data management practices
Debate: French Revolution vs. American Revolution vs. Beatles Revolution

Building a great data team: Mission (Im)possible Mar 31, 2021

Here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it: Your company is making poor decisions about how to bring its latest product to market. Time is running out, and the company risks missing a unique and lucrative opportunity. You must convince your exec team to stop using gut instinct and start trusting in data.

Step one is building a strong data and analytics team with the right mix of people, process, and technical know-how. In this episode, Juan, Tim, and Patrick Barry, VP of Data and Analytics at SPM Marketing and Communications, discuss what it takes to assemble a team from scratch.

Other topics include:

What roles and skills to prioritize
Why diversity is critical
What things do we wish would self-destruct

Does your data have a ‘born on’ date? Mar 30, 2021

Where does this data come from? Who created it? How has it been used? Like the origins of the universe, there can be quite a mystery surrounding the genesis of your company’s datasets. Understanding data provenance is the first step in answering those critical questions.

Join Tim, Juan, and Professor Deborah McGuiness of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, renowned AI scientist and pioneer in provenance research to discuss data provenance and why it matters to you.

In this episode, we discuss:

The origin story and evolution of data provenance
Provenance standards every data person should know
Which fictional character has the best origin story

Identity graph: the new customer 360 Mar 18, 2021

What’s the best way to get to know your customers? For most companies the solution is creating a 360 profile using data integration, data warehouse, master data management, and a slew of marketing tools. But there is another option: the Identity Graph.

Join Tim, Juan, and guests Michael Murray and Bret Harper of Wunderman Thompson Data for a look at how and why Identity Graphs are disrupting the company-customer relationship.

In this episode, we’ll discuss what an identity graph is and why you need one, why graph technology is a game changer for understanding customers, and the true identity of St. Patrick and what he might buy if he were alive today.

A modern approach to data transformation Mar 11, 2021

Data warehouses have been around for decades, and we’ve relied on data integration processes like ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) to get the data in. While data warehouses evolved to data lakes and data lakehouses, and ETL became ELT, little else has changed.

This week’s special guest is Drew Banin, co-founder of Fishtown Analytics. They’re the team behind the open source tool Data Build Tool (better known as dbt), and for disrupting the data transformation process (the T in ETL).

Discussion topics include how to build a modern tech stack for your data-driven business, what actually started the dbt revolution, and (of course, obviously) if you could transform into any animal on the planet, what would it be and why?

Do you have data trust issues? Mar 04, 2021

When data is powering your business, you expect that data to be trustworthy in real time, all the time, but that’s easier said than done. That’s where data quality comes in. Join special guest Lior Gavish, co-founder of Monte Carlo Data, for a conversation about data quality, reliability, and trust. Discussion topics include quantity vs. quality in data science and analytics, the downsides of applying band-aid fixes versus repeatable solutions, and whether quality wines are really worth the extra expense.

What does a Chief Data Officer do? Feb 25, 2021

If data is the new oil, does that mean the Chief Data Officer is the new baron? Not exactly, but it is one of the fastest growing and most critical executive roles in the enterprise. So... what exactly does a CDO do?

In this episode, Tim and Juan welcome special guest Mohammed Aaser, CDO at McKinsey & Company, the world’s largest management consulting firm. We’ll discuss the unique responsibilities and challenges for a CDO in an increasingly data-driven economy. Plus, we’ll learn how the firm builds and maintains its own thriving data culture.

Discussion topics include how a CDO drives critical value for the business, future trends and potential disruptions in the data space, and a clear verdict on whether Tim or Juan would make the better CDO.

Do you test your data? Feb 11, 2021

We test our food. We test our cars. We test our code. But do we test our data?

Join Tim, Juan, and special guest Sam Bail from Superconductive, the company behind open source data testing tool Great Expectations. We’ll chat about how to incorporate data testing into your workflow and who should be involved. We’ll also discuss why data quality is not just a tool, but a state of mind and a commitment.

This episode will feature tools for test-driven data development, best practices to incorporate data testing, and which of our hosts received the highest SAT score.

What can we learn from messy insurance data? Feb 04, 2021

The insurance industry thrives on robust, diverse, accurate, and innovative data. In fact, it’s one of the most data rich verticals around, dealing in claims, ratings, coverage, pricing, geographic, and people data and so much more. But let’s be honest, working with the disparate data sources and applications is incredibly messy and inefficient!

In this episode, Juan and Tim will be joined by insurance veteran, John Lucker to find out what we can all learn from the data and analytics challenges in insurance.

This episode will include an honest look at the ugly side of insurance data, opportunities to address insurance data challenges, and an important deep dive: State Farm vs. Progressive. Which has better commercials?

Does your data governance strategy need a therapy session? Jan 28, 2021

Is data governance making you more productive? Or is it a pain that you just have to deal with for the good of the company? If you’ve got data issues, it may be time for a therapy session.

Join resident psychologists Tim, Juan, and Ashleigh Faith, EBSCO’s Director of Knowledge Graph and Semantic Search, as we explore the people and culture sides of data governance. We may not be able to treat all your symptoms, but we can change the way you feel about data governance.

This episode will feature ways to transform data governance from knowledge barrier to knowledge bridge, suggestions for consultative approaches to governance, and a discussion of who has started playing chess after watching The Queen’s Gambit.

Is Your Data Fabric a Mesh? Jan 21, 2021

Let’s talk data management frameworks. What is a data fabric and how is it different from a data mesh? No, seriously, we’re trying to figure it out ourselves. Is this an attempt by industry analysts and enterprising vendors to rebrand existing technology or are these fundamentally new data architectures?

In this episode, we’ll explore who and what are driving the conversation and try to demystify these emerging data disciplines.

This episode will feature:

Clear definitions for data fabric and data mesh
Where these frameworks overlap, intersect, and chart their own course
Tim’s excuses following a Cleveland Browns playoff loss

Has business intelligence jumped the shark? (with special guest Peter Bailis, CEO of Sisu Data) Jan 14, 2021

There’s a dashboard for everything in the enterprise now, so it’s easy to answer your complex questions in graphical form. And new features like natural language processing (NLP) make interactions and queries faster and easier than ever. But surely there’s more on the horizon in BI and analytics, right?

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Peter Bailis, CEO of Sisu Data for a conversation on the current state of business intelligence and data analytics. We will also discuss what’s next and the all important question: why?

This episode will feature:

The state of BI today
The evolution of BI and why it’s no longer “the new black”
Where analytics should be heading
The data-driven culture and why it matters
Tim and Juan’s New Year’s resolutions

Best of Catalog & Cocktails: 95% say exit polls don’t work. 15% say they do. Dec 31, 2020

In October, veteran election "race caller" Dwayne Desaulniers shared how The Associated Press has evolved their process to provide neutral, third party analysis of our most critical elections. It's even more interesting to revisit this conversation months later as we look back on what turned out to be a tumultuous election cycle.

As the year winds down, we're revisiting our favorite (and most popular) episodes exploring some of the more unique data roles out there. Next year, we hope to keep bringing guests like Dwayne onto the show, and we want to know: what are you curious about? Whose story would you like to hear? Do you have an interesting perspective to share? Drop us a line at podcast@data.world. We'd love to hear from you.
Have a happy, healthy new year, everyone. We'll see you again in 2021.

Best of Catalog & Cocktails: Is it time to hire a data product manager? Dec 24, 2020

In this episode from early August, Claire Cahill from The Zebra shared what it's like to be a data product manager at a company where data is the key to success.

As the year winds down, we're revisiting our favorite (and most popular) episodes exploring some of the more unique data roles out there. Next year, we hope to keep bringing guests like Claire onto the show, and we want to know: what are you curious about? Whose story would you like to hear? Do you have an interesting perspective to share? Drop us a line at podcast@data.world. We'd love to hear from you.

In this episode, you'll hear:

* The characteristics of a great data product manager and how you can land the same role
* Who data product managers work with on a daily basis
* Whether a good podcasting mic really makes a difference (spoiler: it does)

Goodbye 2020, hello 2021 Dec 17, 2020

Earlier this year, our podcast began with an ambitious episode titled “The Future of Data Management.” We’ve covered a lot of ground since then, from career paths and culture changes to data governance and data policy. In our final Catalog & Cocktails show of 2020, Juan and Tim review some of the hottest topics in the dataverse and look forward to what’s new and exciting next year.

Getting your data bang for your catalog buck Dec 10, 2020

YOU may recognize that your company needs a data catalog, but does your boss get it? Can you justify the investment and determine how quickly and what kind of return you’ll get? These may seem like daunting questions, but do not fear!

In this episode, Juan and Tim will discuss how to calculate your data catalog ROI, showing you how to measure a catalog’s ability to boost revenue and productivity while reducing risk. If you need to make a business case for an enterprise data catalog, don’t miss this episode!

This episode will feature:

Success metrics for a data catalog initiative
Different methods for calculating catalog ROI
What Juan and Tim like to cook

How Airbnb built its internal data catalog Dec 03, 2020

What’s the secret behind Airbnb’s famously data-driven culture? It’s the company’s ability to provide all employees - not just the ‘data people’ - the ability to discover, understand, and trust data. Join Juan, Tim, and special guest Jeff Feng, product lead at Airbnb, to learn how the vacation experience juggernaut designed and developed its enterprise data catalog, DataPortal.

Whether you’re still unclear on the business value of a data catalog, or debating whether to build or buy, do not miss this episode.

This episode will feature:

The good, bad, and ugly of a build-it-yourself data catalog
How data democratization can promote data literacy and deliver business value
Juan talking about how much he misses flying

The Thanksgiving special Nov 25, 2020

This week, much of the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving, a holiday focused on gratitude and connection. In this short episode, Tim and Juan reflect on what they’re thankful for (including the community that’s grown around this podcast). Join our hosts as they relive their favorite highlights from past Catalog & Cocktails conversations and look forward to upcoming guests.
P.S. Usually, we record this podcast in a live Zoom meeting that anyone can attend. We then stick around for a virtual “afterparty” to further discuss that week’s topic as a group. (See our bio for the link.) This week, we skipped that live Wednesday evening event to give our team time to focus on things away from the desk. We hope you’ll have an opportunity to do the same and that you too have many, many reasons to be thankful.

Master data management: hot or not? Nov 19, 2020

Master data management (MDM) sits at the intersection of metadata and data and has a lot in common with data integration, data modeling, and knowledge building use cases. It’s “old school” technology that even today confuses many data leaders. But... is it still relevant? Should it be part of my data governance strategy?

In this episode, Tim and Juan discuss the merits of MDM, how it fits into metadata and governance concepts, and how it may evolve (or not) in the future.

The data landscape is CRAZY. Nov 11, 2020

The latest 2020 Data & AI Landscape now includes 80 boxes, each featuring anywhere from 10-30 vendor offerings. How do you navigate this landscape? Where do you start? And how do you know when you’re done? Clearly there’s no one-size-fits-all data and analytics solution, and it‘s daunting to assemble the right infrastructure and applications stack to address your evolving business needs.

In this episode, Juan and Tim discuss the diverse data landscape and share thoughts on how to navigate and evaluate the myriad offerings.

Documentation matters Nov 05, 2020

“I love documentation!!” … said no one. But let’s be honest, what’s worse: having no documentation or having bad/outdated documentation? To make the situation even more awkward, documentation seems to often be nothing more than an afterthought for metadata and data projects. As much as we may dislike creating and maintaining documentation, it is (regrettably, unfortunately, critically) a necessary element that helps others consume data.

In this episode Juan and Tim discuss the do’s and don'ts of documentation. They're joined by Will Briggs, a data.world solutions engineer, who shares his tips and tricks to make documentation fun... seriously. We promise.

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As always, you're welcome to join us on Zoom each week as we record the live episode. Visit data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails/ to sign up. Then, stick around for an open conversation with our hosts. Hope to see you there!

The Data Governance House of Horrors Oct 28, 2020

Does the very idea of creating and managing new data assets keep you up at night? Do you get goosebumps just thinking about the state of your column headers? Never fear: there’s an effective way to battle your data and metadata demons. Join Tim and Juan for this spooktacular episode on agile data spirits—er, sprints. We’ll share tips on how to create data assets using an agile, iterative, and inclusive approach.

Disclaimer: this episode may include gory details of data and metadata management, unfortunate Halloween puns, and the Corpse of Traditional Data Governance. Listen at your own risk.

Your best data source may be outside your company Oct 23, 2020

When you think about enterprise data, the data associated directly with your company and its customers probably comes to mind. But what about data acquired from open data portals or third-party brokers?

External data is the fastest growing segment of enterprise data: it often provides the missing bit of crucial context that improves your decision making. But because this type of data doesn’t come from their own internal systems, companies often struggle with data management. In this episode, Tim and Juan are joined by Jeremy Baksht from Ascential to discuss the ins and outs of external data acquisition and how enterprises should prepare for data marketplaces.

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As always, you're welcome to join us on Zoom each week as we record the live episode. Visit data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails/ to sign up. Then, stick around for an open conversation with our hosts. Hope to see you there!

Time for a data culture makeover Oct 19, 2020

Is your data culture a drag? Turning it around requires you to be bold and take action. Join Tim and Juan as they discuss examples of what you should and shouldn’t do, and how to accelerate the transition to data awesomeness. You'll hear actual examples of good (and bad) data culture along with specific steps you can take to improve your own company's data culture.
As always, you're welcome to join us on Zoom each week as we record the live episode. Visit data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails/ to sign up. Then, stick around for an open conversation with our hosts. Hope to see you there!

95% say exit polls don’t work. 15% say they do. Oct 08, 2020

Since 1848, The Associated Press has been counting and reporting the votes in US elections. But they haven’t always done it the same way. As voter behavior changed over time, AP has continued to evolve their process to provide neutral, third party analysis of our most critical elections. Enterprises have much to learn from how one of the most well known global news agencies has created a data culture that lets them stay agile and keep their approach aligned with the realities of our times. Join Tim, Juan, and veteran election "race caller" Dwayne Desaulniers to hear how it's done.

Data work is much bigger than a soccer match Sep 30, 2020

Have you ever heard someone call data a "team sport"? The comparison makes sense: you can’t be successful on your own, you need to work well with peers, you run up against tough opposing forces. But data work is so much more. Join Tim and Juan as they discuss their favorite fundamentals of data culture and why companies often forget to think about them.

What we learned at the first ever data.world summit Sep 24, 2020

Juan and Tim recap the biggest ideas and perspectives shared at this year's data.world summit. In a whirlwind half hour, we boil down insights from a long list of trailblazing data and analytics leaders, including former US Chief Data Scientist DJ Patil, three-time Chief Data Officer Amy Gershkoff Bolles, CEO of PoolParty Software Andreas Blumauer, and more. Oh, and if you're curious about Juan's garage bar, see it for yourself at next week's live broadcast.

* Watch each episode being recorded Wednesdays at 4 pm CT, then stay for a virtual afterparty: https://data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails.
* Missed the summit? Catch up and share your own favorite moments: https://data.world/events/summit

Hear from DJ Patil and other leading thinkers at data.world summit Sep 18, 2020

Get excited. A half day of new ideas, practical guidance, and journeys into the latest innovations in data practices, technology, and leadership, headlined by DJ Patil (former US Chief Data Scientist) and Amy Gershkoff-Bolles (Chief Data Officer, Bit.ly). All that and more at our inaugural digital event, data.world summit, on September 23rd, 2020.

Register now for free at: https://data.world/events/summit/

Data catalog Fight Night: build vs buy Sep 16, 2020

Data catalogs are foundational to a successful enterprise data management strategy. But, should you buy one off the rack or build it yourself using open source tools? In this episode, Tim and Juan will debate on build vs buy. Juan will advocate for buy while Tim will champion the build. Who will win?

Visit data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails/ to watch and participate in the live program

Should we salute our robot overlords? Sep 14, 2020

Enterprises are looking to ML/AI innovations in data management to accelerate their data strategies and achieve critical business goals. But how much of what we hear about ML/AI is real, and how much is hype? In this episode, Tim and Juan will explore how automation makes data catalogs more powerful and challenge some conventional thinking.

Crowdsource your way to data empowerment Sep 03, 2020

The power of the crowd is everywhere these days: we crowdsource products, commercials, and (putting possibly misplaced trust in our fellow humans) the next big snack food flavor. In this episode, Tim and Juan talk about how to apply the best parts of crowdsourcing to enterprise data management. This inclusive approach empowers everyone to participate in data documentation and analysis and continuously improve your company’s knowledge base. We promise.

You can also join us live in the virtual studio every Wednesday for advance access to the next episode. Then, enjoy an open Q&A with our hosts, guests, and other attendees to share your own perspective, learn from your peers, and talk shop with other data professionals. See you there!

https://data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails

Semantic Web for the Working Ontologist Aug 26, 2020

Tim and Juan are joined by special guests Dean Allemang, Fabien Gandon, and James Handler to discuss their latest book: Semantic Web for the Working Ontologist. Together, these experts look at the past, the present, and the future of the semantic web and debate whether it can truly become the universal medium to exchange data and knowledge across the enterprise.
Oh, you'll also hear references to a discount on your very own copy of Dean, Fabien, and James' book. Sorry: that was exclusively for our live listeners. But to get access to upcoming offers and experts, join us every Wednesday as we record these episodes live (virtually), followed by a casual off-the-record conversation where you can ask questions, share your point of view, and network with both your peers and our panelists. Sign up here to learn more: https://data.world/resources/webinars/catalog-and-cocktails/

How dirty is your data? Aug 19, 2020

Juan and Tim take on all the challenges of data quality in the enterprise. Commiserate with real life horror stories and learn solutions and best practices as we dive deep on a fundamental aspect of data management.

You can also join us live in the virtual studio every Wednesday for advance access to the next episode. Then, enjoy an open Q&A with our hosts, guests, and other attendees to share your own perspective, learn from your peers, and talk shop with other data professionals. See you there!

A data management chicken and egg Aug 12, 2020

What comes first: the data warehouse or the data catalog? It’s a vexing chicken and egg question that data teams must answer. Do you build a data lake/warehouse first and then catalog the data, or should you catalog your data before kicking off your warehouse initiative? Join Juan and Tim as they discuss why and how you can and should do both at the same time. This week's special guest: Jon Loyens, data.world's CPO, co-founder, and co-creator of this podcast's theme song.

This 30-minute episode will cover:

The pros and cons of which project to tackle first
How to get it right by applying agile methodologies
Live Q&A and chat

Sign up to watch as next week's episode is recorded live, then join in an exclusive live Q&A with our hosts!

Is it time to hire a data product manager? Aug 06, 2020

Who’s on your data team? In Episode 4, we talked about data producers and data consumers. In this episode, we’ll explore how these various personas interact and why we believe a data product manager should sit right smack in the middle. Join Juan, Tim, and Claire Cahill (Director of Product, Data) from The Zebra, for an engaging discussion on this emerging data discipline.

This 30-minute episode will also feature:

Characteristics of a data product manager
What you need to know about knowledge science

Sign up to watch as next week's episode is recorded live, then join in an exclusive live Q&A with our hosts!

Get data governance right for once Jul 29, 2020

We cover a lot of ground in Catalog & Cocktails: from data catalogs to data governance, personas, lineage, policy, knowledge graphs, and more. That’s because data management is a broad discipline with so many people, tools, and methodologies. Sorting it all out is tough, and many companies are inclined to ”boil the ocean.”

In this episode, Tim and Juan look at how agile data governance provides a roadmap for your successful data journey... without boiling the ocean.

Stuck in the middle: how to become an advocate for a data catalog and governance Jul 22, 2020

60% of organizations will use data catalogs by 2023. This prediction by IDC suggests a large number of companies are still using manual and complex processes to make sense of data. This includes standing up multiple data lakes, disparate database technologies, and a rash of BI tools. The struggle is real. So is the benefit of an enterprise data catalog.

Join Juan, Tim, and Stewart Coerver, director of sales engineering at data.world, to talk about how to untangle the data mess in your organization. Don’t get caught between an IT agenda (cost optimization, governance, status quo approaches, etc.) and business users trying to deliver meaningful and timely insights.

What the pandemic can teach us about data governance Jul 15, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is also a case study in public data. Everywhere we look we find statistics: number of coronavirus cases, unemployment levels, economic predictions, etc. But this unprecedented access to data also leaves us with lots of questions:

Can we trust the data?
Is there unintentional bias in the data and analytical algorithms?
What role does data governance play?

In episode 9, Tim, Juan, and Anoop Lalla, former VP Enterprise Data and Analytics at Workday, chat about data governance and how organizations can deliver meaningful and accurate analysis today and in a post-pandemic future.

How does data policy impact you? Jul 08, 2020

Successful enterprises understand the importance of data-informed decisions. But what role does data play in government affairs?

In episode 8, Juan and Tim are joined by Corinna Turbes from the Data Coalition to explore the processes, challenges, and outcomes of data policy. Together, we’ll look at how data impacts legislative actions (and vice versa) and how these policies affect businesses and individual citizens.

What’s the story with data lineage? Jul 01, 2020

How can you be certain the data you’re working with is trusted, up-to-date and understandable?

Data lineage tells you where data originated, how it's used, and what transformations are applied as it flows from data sources and ETL workflows to downstream data marts and dashboards. In episode 7, Tim, Juan, and special guest Ernie Ostic from MANTA discuss how mapping data - and all its associated metadata and dependencies - leads to cleaner analysis and better business decisions.

What’s the deal with knowledge graphs? Jun 24, 2020

What do companies like Airbnb, Google, and Lyft have in common? They put knowledge graphs at the center of their metadata and data strategy. In episode 6, Tim and Juan talk about knowledge graph technology - how it works, why it works, and why it should be part of your metadata and data management strategy.

How does your data team get value from a data catalog? Jun 17, 2020

Last week we chatted about data producers, data consumers and the need for a data product manager; and their pain points. In this episode, we will chat how these pain points should be addressed by a data catalog in order to provide value to data teams. Juan and Tim will compare and contrast old-world data access and collaboration techniques with a modern approach.

Who’s on your data team? Jun 10, 2020

You don’t have to have the word “data” in your title to be a data person. For example, Juan and Tim don’t, but they are very much part of our data team. In this episode, we will chat about the myriad personas that interact with data, from producers to consumers and everything in between.

Data integration from the trenches May 27, 2020

Every hero has an origin story. In episode three, data.world CTO and co-founder Bryon Jacob joins Juan and Tim to share how data integration nightmares in a prior role put him on the path to data and metadata enlightenment.

Don’t boil the ocean. Boil a fishbowl. May 20, 2020

Join Juan and Tim for a deeper dive on data catalogs. This episode will look at how catalogs can address the continuum of metadata and data management and give you an achievable starting point on your journey to understanding all your data.

The future of data management May 13, 2020

The data landscape is constantly evolving: Data warehouses, big data, data lakes. How did we get here? Where is it all heading? Step up to the bar, and join Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper as they discuss the future of enterprise data management.

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