During a recent webinar, I discussed AI and its dependence on data foundations, emphasizing how successful AI projects—those that move beyond pilot phases, mitigate risks, and deliver measurable value—hinge on trustworthy and reliable data. We pinpointed four crucial areas for data infrastructure: • User Focus – Aligning the AI products, data, and goals with the …
This article is a collaboration between the newest members of the Factor team, Jake Fatooh and Sam Stringer, who come from backgrounds in e-commerce and community archives, respectively. What could a community archive and a global tech corporation possibly have in common? When it comes to taxonomy, more than you might think. Community archives focus …
Taxonomies at Any Scale: Three Lessons for Archives, Corporations, and Anyone in Between Read More »
You’ve probably noticed that here at Factor we talk with people a lot about their taxonomies. Once we establish that we’re not talking about stuffed insects or animal heads, questions still remain. Questions such as, what do our taxonomies have to do with our business? We think it’s always helpful to go back and answer …
Are Your Taxonomies Costing You? 5 Smart Questions to Ask Read More »
When Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke told employees that “everyone means everyone” in the company’s AI rollout, he wasn’t being provocative for the sake of it. He was setting a new standard for how technology adoption should work–bold, all-in, and deeply human. In a company-wide memo, Lütke laid out a mandate that repositions AI from a …
AI First, Humans Always: Insights from Shopify’s AI Transformation Read More »
Libraries have spent millennia refining the art of organizing, retrieving, and safeguarding information. Their systems prioritize clarity, accountability, and ethical stewardship, qualities businesses now find indispensable as they integrate AI into their operations. While AI promises efficiency, its success depends on structured implementation, thoughtful governance, and human oversight. Look no further than the example set …
Modern AI systems are only as effective as the information they consume. Unfortunately, much of that information is messy. Taxonomies and other structured knowledge models have long helped organizations make sense of complex data. When paired with data management tools, they support everything from content discovery and analytics to personalization, integration, and lifecycle governance of …
Enhancing AI Effectiveness with Taxonomies and Knowledge Graphs Read More »
The role of Chief Data Officer (CDO) has evolved. No longer just a technical steward of data assets, today’s CDO is a strategic architect of business value. As enterprises recognize data as both a competitive advantage and a risk factor, the CDO operates at the crossroads of technology, business strategy, and organizational change. This is …
The Strategic CDO: Four Success Factors for Data Leadership Read More »
Most organizations would never tolerate an IT system with no security controls or a sales process that relies on guesswork. Yet when it comes to managing the raw material of modern business, many enterprises operate in a state of ambiguity. Critical decisions are made without a clear picture. Business functions work at cross-purposes. The same …
What if your data could connect itself? Imagine a system that stores information and understands how it all fits together. That’s the power of an ontology. What Is an Ontology? In Information Science, an ontology is a structured framework for representing knowledge within a domain. More simply, it connects objects and concepts through defined relationships, …
Ontology 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Use It Read More »
Effectively scaling core business capabilities means ensuring the right information flows to the right people at the right time. Without a strong process for managing information, growth often leads to chaos instead of progress. Structured taxonomies, metadata, and governance policies turn raw data into an asset, making it easier to find, interpret, and use. These …
The Role of Information Foundations in Scaling a Business Read More »
