Think about data differently!
Companies' undiscovered Gold!
Data is the raw material of the future. But in many organizations, it remains unused, buried in systems, silos, and routines. This book shows how managers can recognize data as a strategic resource, use it, and turn it into real value.
Dr. Claus Michael Sattler, one of Germany's most prominent interim CIOs and supervisory board members for digitalization, gives readers a practical introduction to the world of data-driven corporate management. Based on over 200 international projects, he shows how data can be translated into decisions, efficiency, and resilience from the production floor to the boardroom—clearly, analytically, and comprehensively.
The work is aimed at board members, managing directors, supervisory board members, advisory board members, and decision-makers in medium-sized companies, as well as executives in public administration. What you get is not just another technical book, but a strategic guide: How can data be turned into a management tool? How can data silos be broken down? And what role do digital sovereignty, AI governance, and cyber resilience play in the European context?
Ten real-life case studies, from Formula 1 to rehabilitation clinics, illustrate how data-driven transformation succeeds in practice. Supplemented by recommendations for action, checklists, and management summaries, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to manage their organization in a data-oriented way and make it future-proof.
“Think differently about data!” is a call to management to harmonize technology and leadership and to unearth the undiscovered gold in their own companies.
Table of contents
Foreword by Prof. Dr. Karl Schmedders
Foreword by the German Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Foreword by the author
1 Data as a strategic resource
1.1 What is data?
1.2 What is information?
1.3 Distinguishing data from information
1.4 The undiscovered gold
1.5 New perspectives
1.6 From vision to data strategy
1.7 Data, the strategic resource
1.8 Management summary
2 Data foundations and technologies
2.1 Core operational topics “from data to insights”
2.2 Data acquisition
2.3 Statistics, stochastics, and AI fundamentals
2.4 Data storage systems
2.5 Management summary
3 Foundations of a data-driven organization
3.1 IT infrastructure
3.2 Bridging the gap between production and IT
3.3 Data analytics
3.4 Data-driven management decisions
3.5 Media breaks
3.6 Data silos
3.7 Vertical IT integration
3.8 Horizontal IT integration
3.9 Management summary
4 Ten case studies from completed projects
4.1 Formula 1 – Data guarantees performance 97
4.2 CNC milling – Indirect quality assurance
4.3 24-hour delivery – real-time logistics through data orchestration
4.4 Inspection/repair of trams – predictive maintenance in public transport
4.5 Data-driven drug development – artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical research
4.6 Preventive maintenance on valves – Industry 4.0 in plant operation
4.7 AI-supported diagnostics in healthcare – Radiology of the future
4.8 Digital transformation in medium-sized businesses – A production company becomes data-driven
4.9 Data-driven risk management in the banking sector – From gut feeling to RegTech
4.10 Patient onboarding in rehabilitation clinics
5 Mastering big data – Modern data architectures and governance
5.1 Data warehouse
5.2 Data lake
5.3 Data virtualization
5.4 Data mesh
5.5 Enterprise data fabric
5.6 Smart data fabric
5.7 Real-time data analysis with IRIS (example for HTAP)
5.8 Data quality and data governance
5.9 Data protection and IT security
5.10 AI governance and ethical implications
5.11 Management summary
6 Outlook and recommendations for action
6.1 Outlook: Digital sovereignty and future trends
6.2 Recommendations for action for decision-makers
6.3 Management summary
7 About the author
Afterword Dipl.-Kfm Sven-Thorsten Buchweitz
List of sources
Glossary
List of figures
Index