Data can only go so far in an enterprise without human experts who know how to wield it. Even rare and coveted data scientists may provide only half of the needed skillset, according to Ken Jacquier (pictured), Information Governance Practice, North America sales leader at IBM Corp.

A new role that goes beyond algorithms and whips together hard data know-how with business intuition is opening at enterprises, Jacquier said. “This really important skillset they’re looking for is the data translator,” he explained.

Jacquier spoke to Jeff Frick (@JeffFrick) and Peter Burris (@plburris), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile live streaming studio, during the IBM Chief Data Officer Strategy Summit in San Francisco, California. (*Disclosure below.)

“Who is the data translator who can get from this deep, difficult, often dirty data and translate it into what the business is trying to accomplish?” said Jacquier.

The data translator combines the left and right brain, intelligence quotient and emotional quotient, and he or she bridges the gap between IT and business people, according to Jacquier.

Bringing IT and business together to collaborate has always been tough. Data in particular requires regulatory handling that may be alien to people in marketing, he explained. But if companies are to monetize data and do it before the market window closes, they will have to democratize data throughout the organization.

Data governance overhaul

This is why companies must get their data governance act together, said Jacquier. Once all data is understood and inventoried, they (or their data translator) will know how to disseminate it appropriately.

For instance, financial data might remain locked down with lots of rules and policies in place, he said. However, “we can create a landing zone, where we’ve brought in external data or third-party data and we can let marketing have a little more freedom with that,” he added.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the IBM Chief Data Officer Strategy Summit. (*Disclosure: IBM and other companies sponsor some IBM CDO Strategy Summit segments on SiliconANGLE Media’s theCUBE. Neither IBM nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE