Humanizing Data Strategy: Leading Data with the Head and the Heart

by Tiankai Feng

By combining relentless optimism with a brutally honest reflection on common data strategy mistakes and what it takes to fix them, Tiankai provides CxOs to operational staff, data experts to business users, and students to experienced leaders, a refreshing take on turning advocates into active change-makers to create a sustainable data strategy.

People are emotional, irrational, and impulsive, but they also play a crucial part in any data strategy work. Yet why is the people part of data strategy so difficult? Tiankai decodes the human aspects of data strategy into an actionable framework, linking human needs with business objectives through the Five Competence, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Conscience.

Tiankai Feng is a creative force of nature in the data space. Since bursting onto the scene with his "Governors of Data" rap song and music parodies, he has proven time and again that he can effectively wrap the truth about data management in a business-accessible coating. His new book, Humanizing Data Strategy, is a natural extension of his unique form of thought leadership.
Tiankai strives to illuminate the human side of data strategy. By acknowledging the inherent biases and emotional influences in data analysis, he underscores the need for empathy and compassion in the realm of data-driven decision-making. With his trademark blend of personal anecdotes and professional wisdom, he offers a simple but compelling 5Cs framework for making data strategy more inclusive and impactful. A must-read for anyone looking to humanize their data practices and foster a more collaborative and ethical data culture at their enterprise.
Scott Taylor – The Data Whisperer,
Author of Telling Your Data Story

In an era where books come and go, this book by Tiankai Feng stands out! From the very first page, it’s clear that this book is both thoughtful and heartfelt in a world where reason and logic have sanitized our senses, and data rules the world. Tiankai offers readers a deep well of wisdom, along with meaningful reflection on the subject of all things data. His perspective, thought leadership, and unique way of humanizing the entire lifecycle is refreshing. I highly recommend this book to data nerds, strategists, book snobs, and literary aficionados alike.
Sol Rashidi
Bestselling author of Your AI Survival Guide , Former Chief Data/Analytics/AI Officer @ Fortune 100s,
Forbes ‘AI Visionary of the 21st Century’

Too often, we relegate people to a workstream. In his book “Humanizing Data Strategy,” author Tiankai Feng helps us understand that the “people” part of a data strategy is our superpower. From the 5Cs Framework to the roles we all play, Feng breaks down how to build a killer data strategy in your own organization. A must read for anyone starting (or re-starting) their data strategy.
Laura Madsen, Author of AI and the Data Revolution

Humanizing Data Strategy brilliantly bridges the gap between data-driven insights and human-centric decision-making. This book is a must-read for any data professional looking to balance technical expertise with the essential human touch.
Robert S. Seiner
President & Principal of KIK Consulting & Educational Services

Genres: Nonfiction

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2024

Reviews

[Franziska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and insightful summary on data strategy with the human in the loop. No ground breaking concepts but well structured and worth reading.

[Ole Olesen-Bagneux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Tiankai displays honesty and a true understanding of the essential challenges in data.

[Nabeel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A primer for absolute beginner - more like a book vocabulary of terms in data science.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

мацюпусінька книжечка на півтори години буквально. основний посил - нагадати мамкіним стартаперам із силіконової долини та їх манагерам, шо стратегії стратегіями, але ми всі люди. але шось корисне є, тому 3 зірки

[Jithendra Jithu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Humanizing Data Strategy: Leading Data with the Head and the Heart by Tiankai Feng 🥰🥰📚🤩🤩

Rating:5/5

Review:

👉Tiankai Feng’s Humanizing Data Strategy is a groundbreaking read that redefines how we approach data in business and leadership. It’s not just about the technical side of data; it’s about connecting data strategy with human emotions, behaviors, and collaboration. In a world where data drives decisions, Feng’s take reminds us that people— with all their emotions, instincts, and creativity—are just as vital to the process as the data itself.

👉At the heart of this book is Feng’s powerful 5Cs framework: Competence, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Conscience. These five pillars offer a clear, actionable roadmap for aligning business goals with human needs. Feng explains how each element can transform a rigid data strategy into a living, breathing, human-centered approach. His vision is to shift data strategies from being merely technical roadmaps to something more holistic—where empathy, teamwork, and ethical decision-making play a major role.

👉What makes Humanizing Data Strategy so special is Feng’s authenticity and honesty. He doesn’t shy away from pointing out the common struggles we all face in data strategy—how people can be irrational, emotional, or resistant to change. Yet, Feng uses this reality to show us how these very traits can be leveraged to create more robust, sustainable strategies. His approach is not just theoretical; it’s highly practical, filled with tips and insights that can be applied in real-world scenarios.

👉One of the most engaging aspects of this book is Feng’s storytelling. His blend of personal anecdotes and professional experience keeps you hooked from start to finish. Unlike many data strategy books that feel dry or overly technical, Humanizing Data Strategy feels alive and relatable. Feng brings a human touch to the world of data, making this a truly refreshing read.

👉Overall, Humanizing Data Strategy is an insightful, refreshing, and highly practical guide that balances both the technical and emotional sides of data strategy.

Happy reading 😁😁

#bookreview

[Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all: This is not really a book, but more of a medium post in print. My copy has 110 pages with a very liberal linespacing and layout, of which 10 pages are a endorsements and foreword chapters.

The outset (approaching data science from a humanistic perspective) sound intriguing, but after reading is my impression was, that the book only skims the surface.

The book stays very light in terms of theoretical foundations. Just throwing in the inevitable Simon Sinek quote or commonplaces from psychology, does not allow to pierce the complexity of shaping data strategy in an organization. For a book that aims to explore data governance beyond technical solutions it is surprising that no considerations are given to modern labor theory or other insights from organizational change management.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the book: Most of the take away should be part of the best proactive of modern data governance.

This book can still serve as a primer into data strategy which one can read in an afternoon. To get inspirations how to solve the more crunchy problems about change management or organisational development, you may want to look to other sources.

[Preethi Evelyn Sadanandan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most challenging problems faced in the data space are related to working with other people. That's the hard part of the job (or maybe I'm just another engineer that finds that difficult?!) This book dives into the how to deal with the people side of the challenges we face. Most of the data strategy content isn't new, it's well established and there is plenty of other content out there, but his approach to each problem is lead with empathy and addresses them at the core - that is working with people. It's a quick and pleasant read with plenty of actionable solutions. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone working in the data space.

[Jordan Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little scattered and too efficient, but has plenty of great points.