The parable of “The Blind Males and The Elephant” tells the story of six blind males who come throughout an elephant for the primary time. They every look at a distinct a part of the elephant. The trunk. The ears. The tusks… You get the gist.

Consequently, every particular person involves a really completely different conclusion about what an elephant is.

They’re all partly proper — but in addition totally mistaken.

The ethical of this story is straightforward. Totally different views and incomplete data can result in various — and sometimes inaccurate — interpretations. It is an previous story. However it’s a fable we should always pay shut consideration to in our trendy world. Particularly when working with knowledge.

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Much less will (nearly) all the time be extra

Enterprise leaders worldwide wish to use their knowledge to make higher choices and get extra correct insights into their enterprise.

However usually, companies may have a number of layers of their tech stacks. Some are new. Some are previous. Some are built-in. Some are completely siloed. Every of those layers captures completely different knowledge. And also you get inaccurate insights when these items aren’t speaking to one another.

Companies have entry to extra knowledge than ever earlier than. However amount would not equal high quality.

For a lot of organizations, the precise high quality of their knowledge is being diluted. You create misaligned incentives by having so many alternative parts in your tech stack. One facet of your stack could let you know one factor, however then the subsequent half can contradict it. We see this rather a lot in promoting expertise. A myriad of various shopping for platforms, knowledge companions, publishers, analytics instruments, CRM, segmentation instruments and extra. Typically, it turns into so messy over time that it is laborious to get the actionable knowledge it is advisable to create insights, actions, and enterprise affect.

Entry to plenty of knowledge units doesn’t equal good knowledge. Taking a look at knowledge units in silos is a simple technique to paint the mistaken image, which will increase the chance of poor decision-making.

Information is thrilling, however you want to have the ability to view it in a single place, which is why I believe the rules of vertical integration ought to be applied right here.

Vertical considering

Vertical integration is a method that enables an organization to streamline its operations by taking direct possession of processes. In different phrases, it lets you management your personal future. In idea, it offers companies better efficiencies, diminished prices, and extra management of the manufacturing and distribution course of. Tesla is a well-known instance of this mannequin follow.

Tesla applied vertical integration throughout its enterprise construction — however with a serious give attention to two key facets: battery manufacturing and power storage. Tesla knew that batteries had been essential to EVs – and that success hinged on proudly owning a extremely contested battery provide chain. This enterprise allowed Tesla to leverage its experience in battery expertise and apply it to the power storage market, creating synergies and shared sources throughout completely different product traces.

It does all the pieces from designing the vehicles, constructing the tech, and making its personal chips to promoting the vehicles. All the pieces is in-house, that means provide chain points or manufacturing companions do not sluggish it down. This integration has helped the corporate scale its operations, drive technological developments, and place itself as a sustainable transportation and power options chief.

Proudly owning your knowledge can work in the identical method. However with out the necessity to construct a multi-billion greenback gigafactory in Nevada.

By taking management of your tech stack and possession of your data, you acquire a extra holistic view of what’s occurring with your small business. And also you additionally insulate your self from points within the outdoors world.

That is invaluable by itself. However this singular view turns into much more highly effective once you issue within the exponential progress of AI and ML applied sciences. Making use of these instruments to a vertically built-in knowledge set can remodel a enterprise and unlock beforehand unknowable insights.

Basically in case your knowledge is disparate and never properly built-in, you’ll be able to by no means get to the “Unknown Unknowns”—the stuff you did not even know to ask about. There are patterns invisible to human eyes. You possibly can solely see these with good knowledge.

Extra insights. Extra effectivity. Extra management. Vertical integration affords companies management of their provide chains. However there are challenges, too. Even in the event you aren’t constructing large factories, you want funding and assist to make the required modifications. And most significantly, it is advisable to make sure that turning into self-reliant does not imply you get tunnel imaginative and prescient and lose sight of developments outdoors your small business.

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Information and elephants

When you have a look at completely different knowledge units in isolation, you’ll doubtless emerge with an incorrect concept of what an elephant — aka your small business — actually is.

You may be partly proper in locations, however additionally, you will be totally mistaken.

Vertical integration permits leaders to see the complete image of their enterprise — from buyer to artistic, hoof to tusk.