The data truths shall set your business free

At the Datanova event, Justin Borgman's keynote addressed common misconceptions about big data over the past decade, offering truths to correct these narratives, which resonated with Adrian Estala, Starburst's VP and Field Chief Data Officer. Estala reflected on how these misconceptions have affected Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and their business commitments, advocating for a positive shift in strategy rather than a complete reset. CDOs are encouraged to focus on providing immediate access to data assets and enabling self-service capabilities, thereby saving on migration costs and reinvesting in analytics projects. The emphasis is on integrating data from existing and new sources, simplifying processes, and empowering users with self-service tools to improve data-driven initiatives, especially AI and ML, which often suffer from delays in accessing trusted data. Estala stresses the importance of a modern data ecosystem over a technology stack, highlighting the need for rapid integration and iteration to unlock tangible business value.