Digital Literacy Training

Data Governance: Understand Key Focus Areas 🎯 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 & 𝐊𝐏𝐈𝐬: 🔘 Data Quality: Measure accuracy, completeness, and consistency. 🔘 Stakeholder Satisfaction: Ensure data governance efforts meet stakeholder expectations. 🔘 Security: Track how well your data is protected against breaches. 🔘 Operational Efficiency: Assess the effectiveness of your data processes. 🔘 User Adoption: Gauge the extent to which data tools and processes are utilised. 🔘 Data Value: Quantify the business value derived from data. 🔘 Data Risk: Identify and mitigate potential data-related risks. 🔘 Compliance: Ensure adherence to relevant laws and regulations. 🔍 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬: 🔘 Data Quality Management: Maintain high standards for data accuracy and reliability. 🔘 Regulatory Compliance: Stay compliant with laws and regulations to avoid penalties. 🔘 Cost Efficiency: Optimize data-related costs for better financial management. 🔘 Data Stewardship: Assign responsibility for data management and policies. 🔘 Data Usability: Ensure that data is accessible and usable for stakeholders. 🔘 Data Transparency: Promote openness in data practices and policies. 🔘 Data Ethics: Uphold ethical standards in data collection and usage. 🔘 Decision-Making: Use data to inform strategic decisions. 🔘 Data Security: Protect data from unauthorised access and breaches. 🔘 Data Ownership: Clearly define who owns and is responsible for data. 🔘 Data Integrity: Maintain the accuracy and consistency of data over its lifecycle. 🔘 Data Auditing: Regularly review data and governance practices to ensure compliance and performance. 👥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: 🔘 Executive Leadership: Drive data governance strategy and ensure alignment with business goals. 🔘 Data Owners: Responsible for specific data assets and their quality. 🔘 Data Stewards: Manage data policies and quality. 🔘 Data Users: Utilise data for various business functions. 🔘 IT Departments: Support data infrastructure and security. 🔘 Legal and Compliance Teams: Ensure data governance practices comply with legal requirements. 🔘 Business Analysts: Analyse data to derive business insights. 🔘 External Partners: Collaborate on data sharing and governance. 🛠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 & 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬: 🔘 Data Dictionary: Defines data elements and their meanings. 🔘 Data Catalogue: Organises data assets for easy discovery and access. 🔘 Metadata Management: Manages data about data for better understanding and use. 🔘 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 🔘 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 🔘 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐞 🔘 Reporting Tools: Generate reports to monitor and manage data. 🔘 Governance Dashboards: Visualise key metrics and governance performance. 🔘 Audit and Compliance Tools: Ensure data governance policies and regulations are adhered to. #DataGovernance #DataQuality #Compliance #DataSecurity #DataEthics #DataIntegrity #DataManagement #AI #DataScience #DataStrategy

𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 In the realm of data-driven organisations, Data Engineering stands as the cornerstone, meticulously engineering robust systems to manage, model, and leverage data for insightful analytics. Today, let's navigate through the core aspects and skills that distinguish a proficient Data Engineer: Decoding the Role: Data Engineering thrives on expertise in managing large distributed systems, ensuring data is processed, secured, and scalable ready to transform raw data into actionable insights. Journey to Mastery: Embark on your Data Engineering path by gaining fluency in SQL and a programming language such as Python, Scala, or Java. Here’s your compass to the essential skills: Processing Power:  Batch Processing: Gain command over tools like Apache Spark.  Stream Processing: Uncover the world of realtime data with Flink and Spark Streaming. Data Storage Solutions:  Databases: Dive deep into SQL and NoSQL databases to understand their scaling mechanisms and data model compatibility.  Data Warehouses: Familiarise yourself with platforms like Hive and Snowflake, mastering data aggregation and storage. Efficient Messaging:  Message Queues: Leverage Kafka for high-throughput message handling and seamless data flow. Cloud Mastery:  Cloud Services: Tailor your expertise in cloud solutions to optimise data management based on organisational needs. Workflow Orchestration:  Automation: Perfect your skills in Airflow for scheduling and monitoring complex data workflows. Resource Management:  Efficiency: Grasp the intricacies of tools like Yarn for optimal resource allocation in distributed computing. Rapid Data Ingestion:  Event Data Handling: Utilize Druid for its exceptional ability to query vast volumes of event data with minimal latency. Visual Impact:  Data Visualisation: Create compelling narratives with data using tools like Power BI, Tableau, and Kibana. Stay Engaged: This overview merely scratches the surface. Keep an eye on my upcoming series for deep dives into each of these critical Data Engineering components. Let's embark on this learning journey together, unlocking the full potential of data engineering to drive innovation and efficiency in our digital world.

I put together 7 skills every data analyst should focus on to further their career. Not just buzzwords, but the real capabilities that will separate good analysts from great ones. Here’s the short list: 1. Data storytelling, not just reporting 2. SQL mastery beyond the basics 3. Business thinking as a core skill 4. Data cleaning instincts 5. Visualization that drives insight 6. Python for automation and analysis 7. Clear communication over complexity These came from what I’ve seen firsthand with working with teams, building scalable systems, and solving business problems with data. If you’re early in your analytics journey (or mentoring someone who is), I hope this gives you a clear focus. What would you add to the list? ————————————— I’m starting a free job search cohort soon, and there will be limited spots. Feel free to message me for more info!

PRESENTING VIRTUALLY and engaging a remote audience is hard. The pandemic made us all work differently and years later, many of us are still struggling to be at our best online. That's why I really enjoyed this little book VIRTUAL EI from Harvard Business Review which digs into the science of online attention, engagement and digital mindfulness.   The book addresses issues like “WFH is Corroding Our Trust in Each Other”, “The Endless Digital Workday” and “What Psychological Safety Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace”.   Here’s a few of my takeaways:   🙈 Traditional meeting styles may not work the same for all types of workers. 90% extroverts say virtual meetings are effective but only 70% of introverts agree.   ❓ Too many acronyms or names you don't know? Google increased productivity by 2% (around $400M) by regularly encouraging new hires to “Ask questions, LOTS of questions – and actively solicit feedback on virtual presentations, don’t just wait for it”.   💬 Talking about NOTHING is important. Screen-fatigue is rampant. We need to create space for small talk before (and after?) meetings. Small talk should be an agenda item and not an afterthought.   👂🏽 “Deep listening” is generous. Don’t always jump to an answer. If you’re one of those people who just waits for a gap in the conversation to provide a solution, try stopping yourself. Suspend your own agenda and listen to others more often.   🦜 It’s hard to engage disconnected audiences. Virtual presenters need to be like birds! (I like this one). Virtual presenters should deliberately and compellingly call and elicit a response. Simulate back-and-forth conversations by asking more rhetorical questions. eg. “Are you ready to try something new?”   A Few Ways to Make a Virtual Presentation Interactive: • Use an icebreaker • Keep it simple (10 slides max?) • Ask the audience • Have an interesting background • Try a quiz • Use humour • Make eye contact (with the camera not just the screen) • Don’t forget body language • Make use of effective language • Be aware of 10-15 minute attention spans • Add in some visual and audio effects • Use video • Have a keylight to highlight your face • Let the audience answer anonymously • Get your audience moving • Turn control over to the audience It’s a good book (for your commute?) which you can read in under 90 minutes. And at £11 it’s cheaper than 1 issue of Harvard Business Review magazine.  

Like Data Engineers like Software engineers! The data engineering landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace in 2024 with advancements in software engineering too. Here's a breakdown of crucial skills using a similar approach to software engineering: 1. 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐱): 🔖Programming Languages: Python, Java, Scala are the cornerstones, enabling data manipulation, automation, and complex data pipeline creation. 🔖Databases & Distributed Systems: Understanding relational and non-relational databases (SQL, NoSQL) and distributed systems (Hadoop, Spark) are essential for data storage and processing at scale. 2. 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 (The Craft): 🔖Data Acquisition & ETL/ELT: Extracting data from various sources, transforming it for analysis, and loading it into data warehouses/lakes (ETL) or data lakes first (ELT) are core competencies. 🔖Data Quality & Security: Ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and security is paramount for reliable decision-making. 3. 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 (𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬): 🔖Cloud Platforms: Familiarity with cloud giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform is crucial as data infrastructure migrates to the cloud. 🔖Big Data Technologies: Expertise in tools like Kafka (real-time streaming) and Spark (distributed processing) empowers handling massive data volumes effectively. 🔖Machine Learning (Optional): While not mandatory, understanding machine learning fundamentals can enhance data preparation for analytics and model building. 4. 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐮𝐞): 🔖Communication & Collaboration: Data engineers collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and stakeholders. Clear communication is key for successful project execution. 🔖Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: Data engineering involves tackling intricate problems and designing efficient solutions. 🔖Continuous Learning: The data landscape is ever-changing. Adaptability and a thirst for knowledge are essential for staying relevant. By categorizing skills like software engineers do (foundational, core craft, specializations, and soft skills), data engineers gain a structured approach to their professional development. It helps them identify strengths and weaknesses, prioritize learning, and build well-rounded skills that are in high demand in 2024. Here's an interesting State of Data Engineering 2024 infographic with a huge set of skills represented by lakeFS!! #dataengineering #softwaredevelopment

Regardless of how great your ideas are in your virtual sales pitch, webinar, or team meeting… People are most likely checking their email, browsing social media, or working on other things while you present. How can you prevent that and actually get your audience to pay attention? Here are 4 of the most powerful techniques we use for our own virtual training courses: 1. Win the first five seconds According to research from the University of Toronto, people need only five seconds to gauge your charisma and leadership as a speaker. In virtual environments, this first impression is even more critical. To establish instant rapport: - Keep your posture open and inviting (avoid fidgeting, crossed arms, and closed-off postures) - Use open gestures that welcome the audience into your space - Gesture with your palms showing at a 45-degree angle - Speak with clear articulation and energy from the very first word The quickest way to lose your audience? Starting with tentative body language that signals you’re unsure or unprepared. 2. Design your presentation for virtual viewing When designing slides, assume varied viewing conditions. Design for the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Make your slides accessible by: - Using larger fonts (24-32pt) - Applying higher contrast colors - Limiting each slide to ONE clear idea - Adding more space between lines when using smaller text - Stripping excess content (you can provide additional information in a separate document) 3. Vary your delivery Our research shows the optimal length for linear presentations is just 16-30 minutes, while interactive ones can maintain engagement for 30-45 minutes. People’s attention will go through peaks and valleys during that time, so try these techniques to keep their attention: - Vary your speaking pace (faster to convey urgency, slower to express gravity) - Use intentional pauses to let key points land - Adjust your vocal tone (lower pitch for authority, higher for approachability) - Shift between slides, stories, and data at regular intervals Each change helps reset your audience’s attention and signals importance. 4. Build in structured interaction Don’t make your audience wait until the end of your presentation to interact. According to our research, presentations that incorporate audience engagement through polls, chat responses, or breakout discussions maintain attention longer. For the highest engagement: - Use a variety of interaction types throughout your presentation - Incorporate breakout rooms for small-group discussions - Switch modalities regularly to keep it interesting Remember: In virtual environments, you need to recreate the natural engagement that happens in person. Your virtual presentation success isn’t measured by perfection…it’s measured by action. Master these techniques and your audience won’t just pay attention, they’ll respond. #VirtualPresentations #CorporateTraining #WorkplaceLearning

Teams don’t break because of big failures. They break because people stop seeing each other.🤦🏻 A recent study from Wharton Neuroscience Initiative found that a two-minute dyadic exercise - where pairs silently gaze into each other’s eyes and reflect on shared human experiences - significantly improved feelings of closeness and prosocial behaviour, even in virtual settings. Why does such a modest act matter?🤔 Because remote and hybrid work have stripped many of the non-verbal cues that teams rely on for trust, alignment and meaningful collaboration. Without consistent signals of presence and mutual attention, teams slow down. They hesitate. They lose momentum. From a leadership perspective this has three clear implications: 1️⃣ Trust isn’t optional: Research shows that teams rank trust and communication among their top drivers of performance. When trust is missing, three in four cross-functional teams underperform. So trust is not “nice to have”. It is a performance imperative. 2️⃣ Presence matters more than process: You can layer tools and workflows. But if you don’t restore human presence - visible attention, mutual recognition, real-time interaction - the tools won’t bridge the gap. Leaders must build moments of presence, not just more meetings. 3️⃣ Small acts scale big results: You don’t need an expensive platform or overhaul to begin. A weekly structured check-in where participants look at each other, reflect silently and then speak gives teams a refresh of connection. Over time, these efforts add up into higher clarity, fewer misunderstandings, faster decisions. Action steps for leaders to consider: 👉🏻 Set aside 5 minutes at the start of key meetings for teams to look at each other (in-person or video) and share one non-work observation. 👉🏻 In hybrid and remote teams, require video ON during synchronisation moments. Encourage but don’t mandate heavy rituals - the goal is presence, not performance. 👉🏻 Track not just what gets done, but how people feel: ask “Did you feel seen and understood this week?” If answers slide below a threshold, intervene. 👉🏻 Make trust practices repeatable. Even after workflows are digitised, schedule a monthly “presence reset” to rebuild bonds, especially when change is high. If we stopped chasing vanity metrics like tools deployed or meetings held, we could instead aim for one impact: teams that trust each other enough to move fast and lean on each other without hesitation. Because in uncertain times the difference between teams that drag and teams that fly often comes down to who looks up and sees another human willing to hold their gaze. ✅ #leadership #teammanagement #lifecoaching

Building a successful remote working environment is challenging. You have to build a culture of collaboration to do it effectively. Here's how we do it at Shoelace 👇 1️⃣ Communication Tools: A cornerstone of remote work is asynchronous communication. Tools like shared project boards & task management software are vital. We built our own OS on Notion that has all client portals, data, and task management built in to keep the workflow simple. Further, synchronous communication tools are just as important, if not more important. If your team isn't actively chatting, they aren't building relationships. Think of Slack as a non-negotiable element. Without it, your team is forced to rigidly engage with one another. 2️⃣ Flexibility: Embrace a culture that values flexibility. Respect individual schedules & understand productivity isn't confined to 9-5. Managers should focus on outcomes, not hours. We have unlimited vacation days, reward time off, no meeting Wednesdays, and half-day Fridays. 3️⃣ Virtual Team-Building: Regular virtual activities are essential. From coffee breaks to structured exercises, they can create a feeling of community. At Shoelace, we hold weekly all-hands update calls, weekly team collaboration sessions, and a monthly 'fun' meeting. 4️⃣ Transparent Communication: Establish open channels. Regular meetings and forums for sharing successes & concerns help maintain a connected community. We do a monthly all-hands call where senior management briefs the whole team on what's in the pipeline before it happens. We also provide updates in dedicated Slack channels and even have a channel to share our wins across client accounts and personal achievements, where the entire team can share and celebrate. 5️⃣ Skill Development: Training in a remote environment is key. Enhancing the skills of your team makes remote work more effective and rewarding. Recently, we started hosting a monthly learning session with an industry expert, which has gone over very well with the team. 6️⃣ Recognition Systems: Implement programs highlighting teamwork and incentivizing effective collaborative efforts. At Shoelace, we have a 'kudos' system, where we give kudos to team members and at the end of the month, they're tallied, and a few winners are chosen. 7️⃣ Mental Health Support: Offer resources like flexible schedules and wellness programs. Remember, mental health matters, especially in remote work. Again, similar to flexible schedules, we foster a culture of understanding. Our team is encouraged to take time off when needed. 8️⃣ Feedback Mechanism: Create channels for feedback. Act on this feedback to continually evolve. Being heard and seen is so important for improving team morale. We have multiple open channels for feedback, anonymous or otherwise, and we demonstrate that we listen and act on it. - Like this post? Like & comment below, and follow me for more high-value marketing insights.

It bothers me to see designers with incredible designs struggle to explain their work. They might create magic on screen, but their ideas fall flat when presented. Designers need to understand that in this competitive field, strong visuals are only half the battle. Your communication skill is the real secret weapon. Look out for these 3 words - 'presentation skills' 'confidence' 'structure' Your presentation skills is what bridge the gap between your brilliant designs and the audience's understanding. Think of it like this: your portfolio is the product, but your presentation is the sales pitch. One important thing to note as well: confidence is contagious. When you speak with clarity and structure, you project an air of authority. People trust those who can articulate their vision. It's not about arrogance, but about demonstrating confidence in your design process. When you can explain the reasoning behind your choices, you show that your work is thoughtful and intentional, not just random pixels on a screen. So, how do you hone these crucial skills? Here are a few tips: 👉 Craft a Story: Every design solves a problem or tells a story. Learn to present your work with a clear narrative, highlighting the "why" behind the "what." 👉 Structure Your Sentences: Jumbled words create a jumbled message. Focus on clear, concise sentences that guide your audience through your thought process. 👉 Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your presentation beforehand. The more comfortable you are with your material, the more confident you'll appear. Let's take it one step further! Strong communication skills aren't just for presentations. They're essential for collaborating with clients, explaining complex ideas, and ultimately, building a successful design career. Take your presentation and communication skills as important as your design skills and you'll surely be a few steps ahead. See you in the future! Samuel Lasisi #linkedin #uxdesign #uiux