This playbook is designed to guide you through the process of selecting learning topics for a Data Maturity Course (DMC) using the data.org Data Maturity framework. The framework encompasses nine sub-domains, and this guide will help you narrow down the focus areas to make tangible progress over the course of the DMC. The process involves gathering insights from SIOs through interviews and aligning these with the Data Maturity Assessments (DMAs).

Key Questions for Topic Selection 

When selecting learning topics, consider the following questions: 

• Which topics will be most useful for the majority of organizations as expressed in interviews?
• Are there any critical topic areas omitted by SIOs in interviews but are important based on the team’s experience?
• What is the likelihood of SIOs making appreciable progress on a topic over the course period?
• Which topics lend themselves to learning via workshops, coaching, and/or peer learning modalities?
• Which topics may result in generalizable knowledge products and/or tools for future use and adaptation by SIOs?

Information Gathering: Interviews and Data Maturity Assessment 

We recommend that the process begins with conducting interviews with the SIOs. The primary objective of these interviews is to gather detailed insights about their needs and challenges. To achieve this, a semi-structured questionnaire grounded in the domain areas of the DMA framework can help ensure that all key areas are covered. Comprehensive interviews are then conducted with representatives from each SIO, focusing on key domain areas such as Data Ethics and Privacy, Data Collection and Quality, Data Storage, Analysis and Communication, Data Security, and Staffing and Buy-In.  Organizing the results into a table can help highlight cross-cutting areas of need. 

Following the interviews, a logical next step is to have the SIOs complete the self-administered Data Maturity Assessment. The objective is to establish a baseline understanding of each organization’s data maturity. At least one employee from each participating organization completes the DMA, which provides a framework for assessing organizational data maturity within three domains: Purpose, Practice, and People. The DMA results can be analyzed to identify the current state of data maturity within the organizations and to serve as a reference point for assessing growth and aligning with interview insights.

The analysis begins with summarizing the interview data. The data from the semi-structured interviews are organized into a table to visualize common concerns and needs. This process helps identify the prevalent areas of need and allows for a comparison with the DMA results. The next step is to identify key topics. Based on the comparative assessment, topics that are critical and beneficial for the majority of organizations are identified. It is crucial to ensure that the selected topics address both expressed needs and essential areas that may have been overlooked. Once the key topics are identified, the learning objectives are selected. Meeting these objectives should create measurable progress and be suitable for workshops, coaching, and peer learning. It will prove beneficial to prioritize objectives that produce generalizable knowledge products and tools for future use. The sequence and content of the DMC rounds are determined based on the assessment. 

Taking into account all of these factors, we determined that the three rounds of our DMC should cover the following topics:

• Round 1 – Data Privacy, Security, and Ethics  
• Round 2 – Core Metrics & Data Collection  
• Round 3 – Technology and Data Processes Review

Issues of data privacy, security, and ethical data management are critical prerequisites for any discussion of data collection, management, or technology. Additional details about these topics and the associated learning objectives are available in the outline of DMC Learning Objectives.