Tips for Building a Data Science Capability

most risk. Deployed data science teams essentially
have two bosses, and conflicts inevitably arise. It is
not unusual for business unit leaders and data
science teams to disagree on how an analysis should
be conducted—for example, the priority in which
analytics efforts should be addressed. Typically, data
science teams get caught in the middle of doing what
is asked of them by the business unit leader and
what they feel is right by their own technical merits.
While they report to the chief data scientist, as a
practical matter they may be reluctant to go against
a business unit leader—particularly one with whom
they work closely on a day-to-day basis.
The chart on the previous page shows the
advantages and challenges of the deployed model,
and lists specific steps for making the model work.
CONCLUSION
As organizations consider which model to choose,
they should also establish the mechanisms needed
to ensure communication and collaboration between
the various data science teams, and between data
science and business leaders. Regardless of the
model, the data science teams must be proactive—
they are responsible for initiating and sustaining that
communication and collaboration.
Many factors go into choosing how to align data
science teams, including the size of an organization,
the diversity of its business or mission sets, its
culture and strategic goals, and its ability to hire and
retain data scientists. But it is important to note that
data science alignment is not a one-time activity.
As an organization and its data science teams
change and grow, the organizational structure may
need to change as well. Data science leaders should
periodically re-evaluate their current structure and
determine whether a different model would be
more effective.
Data science is an emerging field that offers exciting
new opportunities for commercial and government
entities. But success will not happen on its own.
Data science leaders and teams must chart
their own path and continually search for new
ways to improve.
26 | MAKING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WORK