How to introduce a data inspired culture to the newsroom

Let's get you started.

On paper, incorporating data into the newsroom seems like a no-brainer. The capabilities and promises of data analytics systems are game-changing, and offer the opportunity to get a step ahead of the competition, optimise and streamline output and send engagement rates soaring.

And yet newsrooms often hesitate before rolling out such solutions.

The reason is simple to identify, but not always so easy to fix: we’re talking newsroom culture.

Rutger Verhoeven and I have spent many years pondering this issue. Back when we were working at Dutch public broadcasters, we saw that innovation can only ever be transformative when it’s matched by an environment that’s ready to embrace it. We’ve worked with publishers around the globe, and it’s through these consultations that we’ve been able to see that this is a widespread truth.

And, luckily for you - and newsrooms or publishers like yours - we’ve gleaned learnings from this that are eminently transferable, and which we’re happy to share with you.

We’ll get into this in depth during our webinar on December 8 (sign up here), but in the interim, consider this.

There’s a saying that ‘people like change, but they don’t want to be changed’. Changing your approach to something - particularly if it’s a long-standing workflow - is tough. People accept change when they accept that the innovation in question complements their processes, can be trusted to replace a section of that process, or proves to be a non-threatening addition to a workflow.

Not convinced?

Consider Waze.

Users generally have few issues with in-car SatNav systems: they know that if they use one, they’ll be directed efficiently to where they want to go, they’ll feel safer driving (because they’re not trying to drive while map reading), and more confident at navigating to their destination.

And, critically, there’s never been any question that Waze, or TomTom, or Google Maps are trying to drive the car for you. Users know this, and they’re willing to hand over a limited part of the control, because it’s proven to be trustworthy.

The point at which we accepted in-car navigation systems, was the point at which we understood all of those things to be true: users understand the scope of what it can do, and where its limits lie.

We trust them: their efficacy, their reliability, their scope.

Faith in a solution is important, and it’s critical that these solutions are introduced into environments which are ready for them.

It’s a tricky balance, but there is clearly a sweet point: the place where product, need, UX and culture meet. Join us on 8 December to find out more.