☀️ Summer Reading List: What are you reading this summer?

Okay, it may not be summer everywhere, but it’s almost summer here in New York…so, I thought it might be fun to ask my fellow Data Citizens:

What are you reading this summer?

Feel free to share the books you’re currently reading or planning to read that are relevant to the industry or feel free to share those that are just for some relaxation and fun!

Can’t wait to see what you’re planning to read this summer! And, who knows…maybe some informal book clubs will pop up from this!

Former User

Posted 5 years ago · Edited 1 year ago·Last reply 5 years ago

8 comments

justinm_swenson

·5 years ago · Edited

Because I’m still reading “Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement”, I’m not going to use it as my recommendation.

Picking a book that I’ve finished, I would choose “Data Governance: How to Design, Deploy, and Sustain an Effective Data Governance Program” by John Ladley (Second Edition).

The thoroughness and comprehensiveness are something I really appreciate. It was very helpful when I first started our Data Governance Program and needed to build out a vision, strategy, and roadmap.

I’m also a big fan of cross-pollination. I’ve found books about Product Management, Lean Manufacturing, and DevOps have a lot of principles, practices, and ideas that translate well to Data Governance. Trying to move beyond the bureaucracy and meetings. Trying to understand the lifecycles, feedback loops, and value metrics.

Former User

OP5 years ago · Edited

These are some incredible lists!!

What I’m getting from this thread so far is that I need to up my summer reading game! Thanks for sharing, @arthur.burkhardt and @justin.swenson.subzero.com!

Justin, I really like that you diversify the topics you’re reading at the same time, I’m sure that helps make it feel less like work!

If you were to recommend one book to someone under the topic of “Data Governance/Data Engineering/Data Management-related” what would it be?

Former User

OP5 years ago · Edited

These are some incredible lists!!

What I’m getting from this thread so far is that I need to up my summer reading game! Thanks for sharing, @arthur.burkhardt and @justin.swenson.subzero.com!

Justin, I really like that you diversify the topics you’re reading at the same time, I’m sure that helps make it feel less like work!

If you were to recommend one book to someone under the topic of “Data Governance/Data Engineering/Data Management-related” what would it be?

arthurburkhardt

·5 years ago · Edited

For me, clearly
Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement by Laura Sebastian-Coleman

Even though the book implies a focus on data quality, the first 6 chapters are the best explanation of what data governance is all about.
Here’s an excerpt:

Chapter 2. Data, People, and Systems

Data Ownership and Data Governance

Gwen Thomas of the Data Governance Institute points out that the goals of data governance include enabling better decision making, reducing operational friction, and protecting the needs of data stakeholders—all things aimed at improving the overall performance of an enterprise. Data governance should also contribute to operational efficiencies by enabling repeatable processes, common approaches, and coordination of efforts—in other words, by simplifying what the organization has to do (Thomas, 2011). Data governance should work a lot like other forms of governance. But with regard to data management and data governance, most organizations are still in the political theory stage. There is not always agreement on how to implement governance concepts, and some people are afraid of their implications. Instead of perceiving data governance as a way to mitigate risk, people often reacted to it as another form of risk. When it is mandated from the top without an assessment of existing practices, governance can look like a set of outsiders imposing an unrealistic model on processes that may be working pretty well to meet local goals and may even be able to contribute to enterprisewide strategies, if there were some effort at alignment. When data governance is imposed, it foregoes the opportunity to gain the commitment of employees and can breed distrust because it is not clear who will benefit from it, who will pay for it, or what the new regime will look like.

In other words, data governance can incite a power struggle. As Thomas Redman points out, “Data and information give rise to heated passions and brutal politics. …Veterans know that it is not the hard, technical issues that stymie an organization’s efforts to better manage and utilize its data and information assets, but rather the soft organizational, political and social issues” (Redman, 2008, pp. 159–160).

justinm_swenson

·5 years ago · Edited

One of my favorite topics.

I’m normally in the middle of multiple books at once and switch between which one I’m in the mood for. Strikingly similar list to @arthur.burkhardt.

I break my reading into a few major (combined) categories based mostly on where I spend my time. This means mostly around being a data professional with a business, product, and technology background. Around being a high school soccer coach. Around my interest in “big questions and their application” like philosophy and history.

Data Governance/Data Engineering/Data Management-relate
Technology/Product/Strategy/Business-related
Biography/History/Philosophy-related
Soccer/Coaching/Physical Training-related
Everything else

Data Governance related:

Data Governance The Definitive Guide
Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement

Data Management related:

The Self-Service Data Roadmap
Data Management at Scale

Soccer related:

Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics
The Real Madrid Way: How Values Created the Most Successful Sports Team on the Planet

History/Philosophy related:

Why Information Grows: The Evolution of Order, from Atoms to Economies
The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World

Everything else related:

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career

I find I’m always in the middle of 3 to 10 books. My main goal is to try and read 3 chapters every day and see if I can complete 2 to 3 books a month. But I try not to restrict my reading too much just so I don’t get bored and reading doesn’t feel like work.

arthurburkhardt

·5 years ago · Edited

Fun question!
In my case, I plan to reread Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear and practice it more with the ‘Streaks’ app

For Data Governance, finally finish Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement by Laura Sebastian-Coleman and probably one or two books from TechnicsPub like

(In case you haven’t noticed, I really like what Laura Sebastian-Coleman writes. )

And for technology books, Semantic Modeling for Data by Panos Alexopoulos, wich is a great way to improve modelling skills for the Collibra operating model.

I’d love to hear additional recommendation and I would give up any of those books for the chance to read a book as inspiring as Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark or Homo Deus - Yuval Noah Harari

arthurburkhardt

·5 years ago · Edited

Fun question!
In my case, I plan to reread Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear and practice it more with the ‘Streaks’ app

For Data Governance, finally finish Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement by Laura Sebastian-Coleman and probably one or two books from TechnicsPub like

(In case you haven’t noticed, I really like what Laura Sebastian-Coleman writes. )

And for technology books, Semantic Modeling for Data by Panos Alexopoulos, wich is a great way to improve modelling skills for the Collibra operating model.

Former User

OP5 years ago · Edited

This is awesome – thank you for sharing, Arthur!!