Most conversations about digital transformation and data don’t start with why. Most start with with a problem. And often the problem is deduplication, data sharing, or consent. It’s hard to talk about these issues without talking about the purpose and the why, but rarely doesn’t the conversation start there.

Underneath each of these topics are issues of bias, data minimisation, the mosiac effect, scope creep, ownership, and power. However, I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation start there even though those are the more important topics from my perspective.

Deduplication, data sharing, or consent are seen as more practical, more relatable, more operational issues that need solving. The rest seem theoretical.

This is often the case with change – people start with their wants not their needs. We need to start with the issues people can relate to. ‘Sell them what they want, give them what they need.’ However, it is imperative that we connect what they need to what they want. Without the connection, these ‘bonuses’ will have no value. Therefore, in the conversations about deduplication, data sharing, or consent, we need to talk about purpose and the other factors.

So what do you want to talk about?

Photo by Christian Lue