Roadmap: 3 Reasons why a data science team needs one
I am now going into my fourth role where the primary objective is to build out the data science capability within the office/business. I relish the opportunity to build capabilities from the ground up because there isn’t anything in place and more importantly you can build things properly and future proof it where possible. When some organisations have had a stab at building a data science function, they have done it with little/no resource, lack of experience, treated it like an experiment and my all time favourite because everyone else is doing it it.
When I have gone into these role, I spend my first 10 days speaking to stakeholders, understanding their pain points with data and then suggesting what we could do with data to solve those pain points. For some people, its basic things like MI and automation, whilst others may be models and few would need some optimisation. Either way, its great to get this on paper and documented so there is a single source of information which can then start feeding into a roadmap. Sometimes I may not have a solution (which is fine!) but knowing where the data problem is helps as it gives us an opportunity to solve it. I find that best way to do this is to create agile user stories from the stakeholders perspective so we have the issue on paper.
In the above blocks I have spoken about putting things on paper / documenting a few times. The reason for this is so that information can then be socialised and be transparent. Individuals can challenge ideas, maybe even offer solutions or even tell you that something isn’t needed anymore. All of this supports the formation of a roadmap. Below are my top 3 reasons for creating a roadmap when I start a new role.
- Its a north star
A roadmap shows where the team is heading. There can be some diversions along the way but as long as you keep adding capabilities onto it then you know where you are trying to get to. Of course, you’d want to make sure you cover the needs of the organisation as opposed to things that are new and exciting. However, nothing stops one from trying something to find a solution to an unthought of problem. - It shows the business what the team will be working on, the dependencies and expected due dates.
Its so important to be transparent and set expectations within the business. We can spin all the capabilities overnight so managing expectations and dependencies is important. - It gives the team focus
Its so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day or random tasks. Having a roadmap means you know what needs to be done and delivered. Sometimes I find that if there isn't a roadmap in place, you end up being deployed in situations which may not make the best use of time. Having that roadmap in place means you can say no to some requests or push back on people to say its on the radar and will be delivered after X,Y,Z. Some roadmap items can be swapped around so you can ask stakeholders to see what can be swapped depending on their priorities.
What are your reasons for creating a roadmap?
