Matthias Linnenkamp
Principal, Founder.
“I am first and foremost a problem solver,” Matthias says of himself. For him this goes beyond quick fixes though. “I always, always want to get better at how we do things. Stop-gap solutions may be needed sometimes, but there’s always a better way.”
One way to solve problems more creatively and sustainably is to make better use of data and analytics. However, Matthias contends, “we are still learning how to integrate data with our intuitions and subject matter expertise outside of the data realm. We constantly make all kinds of decisions at work, but the decision-making process itself we don’t tend to work on systematically.”
With Data Brave he wants to accelerate that process by coaching people how to think better with data. “Over 20 years of running teams, managing programs, process improvement and consulting projects, this has always been the biggest hurdle to overcome. Whether it’s Hewlett-Packard, Hugo Boss, Zappos or Orangetheory – they all have to tackle the challenge of how to move from data to decisions.”
Matthias loves diving into a team’s business challenges and decision-making culture and develop a game plan for making data an asset. “Once we get a learning program underway, the biggest reward is when you see people working with data more purposefully than before.”
An avid learner himself, he’s always been interested in how different fields of study intersect. “How many issues are really one-dimensional? In many ways Data Brave is about connecting the dots, between behavioral economics and analytics, between management, psychology and mathematics, and figuring out how to draw on all these to improve decision making.”
Our partners.
Creating learning experiences that are highly effective and scale is an art as much as a science. We collaborate with Symphony Learning Partners to develop programs, learning formats, and content so that we can create the most effective learning experience for every client and project.
Sometimes transitioning to more data-informed decision-making or processes involves more than developing data acumen. It may require addressing how current management practices, structures and incentives either hinder or help this effort. The Maonach Group is our thought partner for organizational change.