Data Radicals

Precision in technology is powerful. When it comes to services like Uber, people know the exact location of the driver and how much the trip will cost. Precision helps banks lend money to folks with bad credit, but who took the initiative of telling a bank when they would miss a payment. Precision can even help deliver urgent medical supplies via drones in countries that need it most. Precision in...

With the rise of GenAI, LLMs are now accessible to everyone. They start with a very easy learning curve that grows more complicated the deeper you go. But, not all models are created equal. It’s critical to design effective prompts so users stay focused and have context that will drive how productive the model is. In this episode, Matthew Lynley, Founding Writer of Supervised , delivers a crash co...

The art of medicine happens when physicians combine data and knowledge to deliver better patient outcomes. A physician that relies both on guidelines and their learned experience is creating a culture of data and insights and improving the lives of patients. Whether you’re a doctor or a data leader, knowing how to balance data and intuition will always drive better results. Dr. Bapu Jena is an eco...

Starting a revolution is no easy task. Just ask Dr. Michael Stonebraker and Andy Palmer, co-founders of Tamr, the enterprise data mastering company. Their path to innovation begins with a universal problem. They also collaborate with other data radicals who challenge them to think differently and help them grow. Michael is a database pioneer, MIT professor, and entrepreneur. He has founded nine da...

Over the last two seasons of Data Radicals, we’ve seen that data experts have been promoted to leadership roles. It’s proof that organizations are seeing the value of data and the significance of establishing a data culture. In this episode, you’ll hear from past guests like Stan McChrystal, Tricia Wang, and Paul Leonardi as they discuss traits of a successful data leader, adapting your data strat...

How does the NBA use data to compete and improve? When it comes to driving business growth with data, transparent communication makes success a slam dunk. By sharing innovative ideas and best practices across the business, one all-star team elevates the success of others across the entire organization. Michael James, SVP and Head of Data Strategy and Analytics at the NBA, is committed to creating...

As data radicals, we want to deliver insights that enable our organizations to know more, which we often do by providing an answer. Instead, we should be thinking about frameworks we can implement to communicate our ideas in simple and consumable ways. Dave Kellogg knows the importance of a framework. Dave is one of the leading enterprise executives in software today and currently serves as the Ex...

If you’re on a journey of fitness, you know that perfectionism is your enemy. The same goes for data. There will always be another achievement that you wish to reach. Instead, focus on creating habits that will lead you to better data decisions and long term health. Ameen Kazerouni knows this journey well. Ameen has spent his career at the intersection of science, data, and technology to create in...

We’ve all heard the term “data literacy” by now. Although there is general consensus regarding the importance  of knowing how to read, write, and communicate with data, some folks may take issue with the term itself. Wendy Batchelder, CDO at Salesforce, wants to reframe the conversation and focus on how people can leverage data to do their jobs better. Wendy is a technology executive who has spent...

Before search engines, we had to rely on memory and investigation to answer our questions. Then, search engines made answers instantly available. Now, in the age of AI, we have to engineer our questions to get the best results. Frank Farrall, Deloitte's Strategy & Analytics Ecosystems and Alliances Leader, knows that asking the right questions is just as critical as knowing the answers. Frank is a...

As folks in the data space, we’re introverts by nature. But, getting out of our comfort zone can open you up to endless possibilities. As one person who’s gone from CIO to CEO can tell you, the key to growth is getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. That person is Mike Capone, CEO of Qlik, where he’s revolutionizing the business intelligence landscape through data. In this episode, Mike s...

As human beings, we’re not accustomed to talking about data. In order to learn about new subjects, we traditionally use stories. However, bridging the gap between data and stories allows us to cross that barrier and create data-driven organizations. In this episode, Satyen interviews Ashish Thusoo, GM of AI and ML at AWS. Previously, Ashish was the Founder and CEO of Qubole, a pioneering cloud dat...

When building a data platform, it’s important to stay true to your vision. Whether that's through creating a definitive user experience or an open platform that allows people to build upon it, you’re constructing a cathedral. This cathedral is sophisticated and dependable, and allows for a bazaar of business intelligence, machine learning, and AI use cases. In this episode, Satyen interviews Matei...

Once considered the outcast of Silicon Valley, data has metamorphosed as a cool kid that everyone wants to be friends with. In the last decade, data has solidified itself as the key to success in business. The same shift can be said for India who primarily operated behind the scenes, has emerged as a leader in innovation. In this episode, Satyen sits down with Jitendra Putcha, EVP and Global Head...

There are some things that just can’t be quantified by data; imagine trying to portray your childhood in a spreadsheet! Yet these experiences are valuable. How can data teams capture qualitative information – and use it to steer the business? It starts with getting your data team out of the building. Only then can they gain insights about customer pain points and what the data is failing to tell u...

In a world where technology is constantly evolving and AI is everywhere, it’s all too easy for content to be deceitful, including scientific papers. Capturing source metadata, incentivizing reproducibility, and protecting whistleblowers are steps we can take to ensure science remains honest. In this episode, Satyen interviews Dr. Elisabeth Bik. Elisabeth is an experienced microbiologist whose grou...

Data governance is often seen as a confusing topic but everyone, even dummies, are capable of applying it to their organization. By starting with the “why” and acting on the most critical pieces, you can build a successful data governance initiative. In this episode, Satyen interviews Dr. Jonathan Reichental, author of Data Governance for Dummies and Founder of Human Future. He is an Adjunct Profe...

Vulnerability is an important quality often overlooked in the world of tech. Yet being vulnerable and authentic helps you to set realistic expectations, speak with executives on a human level, and connect with your audience.  In this episode, Satyen interviews Jepson (Ben) Taylor, Chief AI Strategist at Dataiku. Jepson is a visionary in the advancements of AI, ML, and data science. Prior to joinin...

It’s time to launch your digital transformation – but first you’ll need new tools. Buyer, beware: Technology selection is tough because it’s impossible to predict the future. How can leaders take this journey with clarity and confidence? In this episode, Satyen interviews professor Paul Leonardi, author of The Digital Mindset , to learn the answer.  Paul is an expert in digital transformation and...

Data has never been more readily available, yet the world seems more confusing than ever. In this episode, Satyen interviews Tim Harford, who’s on a mission to help everyone become a Data Radical.  As a Senior Columnist for The Financial Times, author of The Data Detective , and host of the Cautionary Tales podcast, Tim joins us ready to change how we view numbers—and in turn, the world. Him and S...

The second season of the Data Radicals podcast launches on February 15th! I’m your host, Satyen Sangani. In TV, some second seasons can be disappointing. After a triumphant season one, there’s no more story to tell. Fortunately, that’s not the case in tech. Innovations, discoveries, and market movement — plus a new round of guest stars — guarantee plenty of plots and intrigue, all with one common...

Data governance isn’t easy. It demands a vision, strategy, and clear-cut plan that ultimately supports the business. Many have tried, and failed, to lead governance initiatives. What can we learn from the rare few who have led these tricky projects to success? Learn top tips in this supercut episode, which compiles the best data governance advice from season 1. Featuring Bob Seiner of KIK Consulti...

The modern data stack, sparked by the Redshift revolution and furthered by cloud-platform players like Snowflake and Databricks, forever changed the data integration landscape. Realizing that ETL tools badly underperformed in the cloud, Fivetran strengthened the stack with an ELT pipeline to perform transformations within the data warehouse environment.  George Fraser, Fivetran Co-Founder and CEO,...

DataOps is having a moment. Where does it sit in the data lifecycle? And how is this emerging trend changing data management today? To find out, Satyen sits down with guest speaker Michele Goetz, author of The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Data Catalogs for DataOps. -------- “DataOps is really the engineering and practices of designing and developing data capabilities, launching them out to productio...

Librarians have played a crucial role in the management of data throughout history. From the halls of the Library of Alexandria to the Library of Congress all the way to your elementary school: librarians have been the guardians of our knowledge for thousands of years. But now that we’re in the digital age…has that role shifted? That’s what we’re exploring today. Deb Seys, Senior Director of Learn...