About this episode

The episode discusses how to build a successful data strategy that aligns with business outcomes and supports AI initiatives.

What does it really take to become a data-driven organization? In this episode of Let's Talk Data, host Corrie Birkeness is joined by data strategy expert Shelly McQuigg and SAP Product Marketing Director Kara Reed for a practical discussion on building a successful data strategy that delivers measurable business value. Together, they explore why effective data strategies must begin with business outcomes—not technology—and how trusted, governed data is the foundation for analytics and AI success. Shelly and Kara share lessons from decades of experience leading enterprise data initiatives, including standardizing global KPIs, establishing executive sponsorship, and creating governance models that balance control with business agility. They explain why data professionals need both technical expertise and business knowledge to influence organizational change and drive adoption. The conversation also examines how modern data architectures, including data fabric, enable organizations to create a single definition of the truth without physically centralizing data. Finally, the discussion turns to AI, highlighting why data quality, governance, and trusted information have become more…

People in this episode

Host: Corrie Birkeness

Guests: Shelly McQuigg, Kara Reed

Topics covered

• data-driven organization
• data strategy
• data governance
• analytics
• AI
• business outcomes

Keywords

• data strategy
• governance
• AI
• business value
• data quality
• analytics
• data architecture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SAP

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