Data Department in a Box

Eurocentric in-housing of data-adjacent tools and services

This is a service meant for European companies, using (mostly) European tech, preferably locally-sourced. The goal is to encourage innovation in this space
and reduce dependence on external actors (from service providers to technology vendors). If this sounds political, that's because it is.
Opinionated, centre-left, blunt - welcome to Data Skunk.

Operational within ~2 months

The service gives you a fully formed data department, built from the ground up based on your business needs and constraints.
Think of it as in-housing either skill (people) or infrastructure (technology). Or both.

The wheel, reinvented tweaked for you

The private-to-public sector refers to it as the BOT model:

The process won't be cheap, short, or painless, but it will be predictable and easy to control - by design.

Build - Make an educated guess

This phase includes some Business Analysis (to identify needs and opportunities), as well as implementing proof of concept units.
A unit may be a procedure, a pre-built tool that can be configured and used as-is, or a custom-made tool to be refined later.
The idea behind the Build phase is to make broad assumptions about what the business requires and act on them quickly to test their validity.

Operate - Run, Evaluate, Decide

This is the simplest, yet lengthiest part - running the department for you. The goal is to discover its weaknesses,
improve on its strengths and help you answer some critical questions:

Transfer - Bring it home

This is the endgame: reaching a place where we can look to start defining Job Descriptions, sourcing talent and handing over the keys to you.
Data Skunkworks is meant to serve as a stepping stone. A starting point.
So it has a finite lifespan and it's self-destroying - as soon as the project is complete, we can fire each other.

What you get

Let's talk hard facts - I cannot and will not promise profitability. I'm selling you knowledge transfer and risk mitigation.
I won't be your employee so you can (and should) sack me if things don't work out along the way. I encourage it and will do the same.

With that in mind, here's what you can expect:

While I may assist your existing staff with integrating this department into your business, that responsibility is ultimately yours. And theirs.

Rules of engagement

We must agree on business ethics and principles. I have a strict set of rules I follow and am biased towards. If we're not aligned on those,
we won't be a good match. Furthermore, your first hires must be nationals living in your country.
This is important because my fees are calculated based on the median wage of a senior in your region.
Which means, in some cases, I'll be close to (or below) break-even. As I said, this is political. I vote with my money.
Last but not least, you have to be actively involved in this. I can build things for you, but I can't care about them on your behalf.
Oh and one more thing - resist the temptation to build on hype. If AI makes sense for your business, we'll use AI. If it doesn't, we won't. Etc

THE CODE

This is how I operate, professionally. Consider it a compatibility test, if you will.

Always look for the first principles.
Because the solution is within the problem.
All big problems stem from smaller, easier problems.
And someone solved those before.
So ask more than you talk.
Before you talk, gather arguments.
Arguments should be backed up by sources.
Sources must be verifiable and falsifiable.
If you don't understand a module/ process/ source, ask for help before you use it.
When in doubt, escalate.
But expect others to have different priorities to yours.
Be strict in what you ask of others. Be stricter in what you deliver to them.
Together is better than individually.
So help rather than judge.
Push juniors, but be gentle. Young wings clip easily.
Failing is not shameful if you learn something.
Do better next time.
If you can't, find out what's stopping you.
It's ok to stop trying. But you have to try.
Done is better than perfect.
But "done" is not a state meant for the client. That's "great".
The client is not the entity who pays for your work. They're the one who depends on it.
Work should satisfy, delight, impress. Pick at least one. The order matters.
Expectations are either managed or unmet.
So promise less, deliver more.
If possible, play by the rules.
But always look for meaningful transgressions.
Solve, don't sell - reputation cannot be bought.
Reputation sells.
Give more value than you charge for.
So charge as much as you can.
Learn, earn or burn - if it loses money it must build skill. If neither is possible, drop the work.
If it hurts people, drop the work.
If it hurts you, drop the work.
Shut down toxic people. Unequivocally and definitively.
Leave things a little better than you found them.

If this sounds good to you, find me on LinkedIn: @adgrig