Project Touchpoint: What We've Learned, What's Next.

In any good consulting project, there comes a moment to pause, review the initial findings with the client, and chart the course for Phase II.

Today, we're doing just that with this project.

For the past two months, we’ve taken a hard, unflinching look at how businesses are “Doing Data Wrong.” My goal was to move past the buzzwords and get to the root of why so many data initiatives fail to deliver real value.

Phase I: What We’ve Learned Together

Our initial discovery phase focused on two critical areas of failure:

1. The Foundational Traps: We dissected the “Kindergarten Data” mistakes that even senior leaders make. We explored the hidden assumptions in pilot programs (SUTVA), the danger of mistaking correlation for causation (RCTs), and how "controlling for the wrong variable" can create bias out of thin air (Causal DAGs).

2. The Strategic Gaps: We tackled the organizational failures. We called out “Tech-for-Tech’s Sake”—building brilliant-but-useless models—and the communication chasm that separates data teams from the business leaders they are meant to serve.

   
   

The overwhelming conclusion? The most expensive data mistakes are rarely failures of complex code. They are failures of thinking, strategy, and communication.

My Commitment & What’s Next

One of the worst forms of "Doing Data Wrong" is a lack of transparency and commitment. Projects that start with a bang and then quietly fade away erode trust. That’s not how I operate.

This has been just the beginning. I am more committed than ever to this mission, driven by a simple belief: this knowledge isn't mine to keep. My experiences—from the trenches of my own startup to the boardrooms of Ambev and FALCONI, and through my research at institutions like Berkeley, FGV, and HEC Paris —have given me a perspective I feel a deep responsibility to share.

So, I’m excited to announce Phase II of this project.

In the coming weeks, we will go deeper. We will move from diagnosing problems to architecting solutions. We’ll break down:

• How to build and structure high-impact data teams.

• The messy reality of data product management.

• Frameworks for ethical algorithmic decision-making.

• And we'll continue to translate cutting-edge research into no-nonsense business ROI.

This has never been a one-way street. Your questions, challenges, and insights in the comments have been the most valuable part of this journey. You are not just an audience; you are a community of practitioners dedicated to a higher standard.

Thank you for being a part of Phase I. The real work is just getting started.

If you want to ensure you don’t miss what's next and continue to be part of this movement, the best way is to join my email list for more no-nonsense, research-backed insights.

And if you have a challenge you want to solve now, book a 20-minute, no-nonsense consultation with me. Let’s build your data strategy together.

#DataScienceJourney #CommunityBuilding #ExecutiveInsights #LearningTogether #NextSteps #ContinuousImprovement #DataStrategy #MariaAliceMaia