June, 20209 In the `thinking' phase, it is important to understand both the nature of raw data gathered and the input needs of the systems that run daily operations. If you take a step back, often a data solution appearsfrom defining and then analyzing the problem statement that the business is trying to solve. "We incorrectly charge for shipping costs because the product dimensions provided by the seller are incorrect", is a problem statement heard in the industry. In testingvarious hypotheses,in creating a scale-able and preferably automated solution, one must understand the data that is readily available and the data that must be derived or further acquired. Therefore, the real complexity for a Data team is in planning and adapting how it collects, cleanses, verifies, analyses, and deploys that data into a constant and structured `data pipeline'.Enabling through DataOnce you have data processes and systems in place, the next important piece is data enablement and data security. Data enablement is about empowering the business side in its' day to day management of operations. Visualizations tools output structured and derived data that often help E-commerce professionals navigate deviations or trends in the business, e.g. why do electronics sell better on weekday nights? Data security and the governance of data comprises a few components as well. Is everyone using the same data and do they have a consistent definition with regards to it? This topic also covers the firm's understanding of individuals and systems that access the data and can modify it. Striking a balance between Data enablement and its security, managing speed versus validity, is an interesting and complicated task faced by CIO's and their teams.With the basics up and running and the recent acquisition and technical integration of Lazada into Alibaba Group, my role as CIO has evolved.Firstly, I mustensure our business and operational systems have the data needed to operate efficiently. Secondly, ensuring we leverage and learn from Alibaba's capabilities and tools is paramount, and setting up teams to explore and educate our staff has become critical.Standing on the shoulders of giants is a fantastic position to be in and there is an enormous upside that we get through adoption and integration. But we must never forget to keep the business value of the technology at the forefront and not adopt technology for technology sake. In addition, we need to ensure we don't become complacent on the back of new shiny machinery and continue toinnovateat all levels of the organisation. BIG DATA IS THE NEW OIL, POWERING THE E-COMMERCE ECOSYSTEM
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