Data’s big challenge and opportunity in a post-COVID world
Data experts have witnessed an upheaval in recent months as COVID-19 has sparked new respect for evidence-based decisions and data modelling. Prior to COVID-19 the popular zeitgeist was that “people have had enough of experts” – now everyone wants to be “guided by science”.
This shift has been arguably the most consistent theme of recent discussions in the Data Journeys community. From managing the influx of new interest and data sources to helping organisations understand how to measure a post-presenteeism environment, technologists are still grappling with the consequences of COVID-19 – as well as the massive opportunities to help build businesses that are stronger and more data-literate than ever.
Many businesses have taken serious financial hits. Even those lucky to have seen greater demand are nonetheless scrambling to understand their new environment. In June, the OECD predicted ongoing global uncertainty and major hits to the UK economy. Data leaders will need to make sure stakeholders are getting the fundamentals right and spending ever-tightening budgets in smart, strategic ways.
