Evolving Agile for a Data-Driven Today

Join us as we collaborate with RVA Data Enthusiasts to explore the role of data in product innovation and development... a special crossover event. Special thanks to Ippon Technologies for hosting, and featuring our in-house speakers for the evening -- Grant Mizell and Steven MacLauchlan, Ippon's Heads of Product and Data, respectively.

Come early! Doors open at 5:30p for networking and pizza.
Presentation will run from 6-7p.
Get in the December spirit with an Ugly Sweater contest!

As we enter an era of AI powered data science, the traditional agile product model faces growing scrutiny, particularly in its ability to demonstrate accountability and consistently return tangible value to the business. In this new landscape, many product teams are missing a critical component: data at the core of their processes. This presentation challenges the current dual-track product discovery and delivery model, proposing a reimagined framework where data becomes a central element of both product and platform teams.

By embedding data analysis into product teams, alongside product managers, designers, and engineers, organizations can enhance decision-making and strengthen their approach to risk management. In this new model, data analysts & scientists can play a crucial role in tackling the four key product risks—usability, feasibility, desirability, and viability—by co-owning feasibility with engineering and viability with product management. This integration of data into the product lifecycle ensures that data-driven insights are considered at every step of the process, improving both accountability and delivery on targeted business outcomes.

Beyond reshaping product teams, this presentation explores how treating data as a product creates alignment across cross-functional teams and fosters collaboration between product and platform teams. We will also examine the technical and operational implications of this shift, including how organizations can adopt data-as-a-product principles within modern frameworks like data mesh and data fabric. These frameworks, which decentralize data ownership and governance, help operationalize this new approach, empowering teams to leverage data effectively at scale.

By the end of the session, attendees will understand how rethinking the role of data in product teams not only addresses agile's accountability challenges but also positions organizations for success in an AI-driven future. Practical strategies and real-world case studies will be provided to help attendees implement these concepts in their own organizations.