065 Garbage In, Gospel Out: Why AI Needs Governance, Contracts & Decision Intelligence with Thaija Dickerson

065 Garbage In, Gospel Out: Why AI Needs Governance, Contracts & Decision Intelligence with Thaija Dickerson

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/fan_mail/new] Everyone is talking about AI, but why are so many organisations still struggling to see real business value? In this episode of Information Matters, Jacqueline Stockwell sits down with Thaija Dickerson, Co-Founder of Contract IQ, data scientist, and author of 10X Contract Value, to explore the missing link between data, governance, contracts, and business outcomes.  Together they challenge the idea that more data automatically leads to better decisions and discuss why organisations need decision-ready intelligence, not just dashboards and reports. They explore how contracts can become critical business assets, why governance should be seen as the Department of How rather than the Department of No, and how leaders can bridge the gap between AI insights and real-world action.  Jacqueline and Thaija discuss: * Why contracts should be treated as Tier 1 business data  * The biggest reason AI projects fail to deliver measurable value * How organisations can move from information overload to decision intelligence * The role of governance in accelerating AI adoption safely and effectively  * Why ownership, accountability and authority matter more than technology alone  * How information leaders can influence business outcomes and demonstrate value  One of Jacqueline's favourite moments from the discussion centres around the phrase: "Garbage in, Gospel out." As organisations increasingly rely on AI-generated outputs, the quality, governance and trustworthiness of information has never been more important.  If you're an information manager, records manager, governance professional, privacy specialist, data leader, or executive exploring how to turn AI ambition into measurable business results, this episode is packed with practical insights. Connect with Thaija Dickerson 🌐 Kontrak IQ: https://www.kontrakiq.io  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaidickerson  🎙️ 10X Contract Value Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZWpqLxDQ6wueK0937JLzA  📚 10X Contract Value Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/10x-contract-value-731843510135938252 About Information Matters with Jacqueline Stockwell Information Matters is the podcast for information leaders, governance professionals, records managers, privacy experts and data specialists who want to increase their influence, demonstrate value and lead confidently in the age of AI. Hosted by international bestselling author and CEO Jacqueline Stockwell. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/support]

064 The "Culture over Code" Philosophy The Technology Trap: with Jesse Wilkins

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/fan_mail/new] Everyone is talking about AI, automation and the latest technology. But what if the real challenge isn't the technology at all? What if the biggest barriers to success are culture, behaviours, information practices and the way people work? In this episode of Information Matters with Jacqueline Stockwell, I sit down with industry expert Jesse Wilkins for a thought-provoking conversation about why organisations often focus on technology before fixing the foundations that technology relies upon. Together, we explore: ✅ Why technology alone rarely solves organisational problems ✅ The difference between culture change and technology change ✅ Why information management is critical to successful AI adoption ✅ The risks of relying on technology to fix process and people issues ✅ How organisations can avoid the "technology trap" ✅ What information leaders need to think about before deploying AI This conversation challenged some of my own thinking and reinforced something I've believed for many years: Technology can accelerate change, but culture determines whether that change succeeds. If you work in information management, records management, privacy, governance, Microsoft 365, digital transformation, AI or leadership, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world experience that will help you look beyond the technology and focus on what truly drives sustainable success. Because at the end of the day... Information Matters. About the Host Jacqueline Stockwell is an international bestselling author, speaker, CEO of Leadership Through Data Ltd, and a passionate advocate for taking information management and privacy out of the back office and into everyday conversations. Through Information Matters, Jacqueline explores the people, leadership, governance, technology and information practices that help organisations thrive in a rapidly changing world. Connect with Jacqueline 🌐 Leadership Through Data Ltd 📚 Author of Blooming Good Information Management 🎓 Creator of the EMPOWER Accelerator Programme 🎙️ Host of Information Matters with Jacqueline Stockwell Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/support]

063 Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Beautiful. – The Journey Nobody Sees

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/fan_mail/new] What happens when the host becomes the guest? In this special episode of Journals of the Information Entrepreneur, Andrea McIntosh takes over the host's chair and puts Jacqueline Stockwell in the hot seat for an honest, unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience and what it really takes to build a business in today's economy. As a dyslexic entrepreneur, bestselling author and founder of Leadership Through Data, Jacqueline shares the highs, the lows and everything in between. From writing to the BBC, ITV and Netflix, trying to partner with Microsoft, sending her book to MPs, The King's Trust and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and relentlessly championing the information management profession, this is a story of persistence in the face of rejection. In this episode, we discuss: ✅ The realities of running a business during challenging economic times  ✅ Why sales cycles are longer and budgets are tighter than ever  ✅ The importance of investing in yourself, even when times are tough  ✅ Building a personal brand and creating visibility for your profession  ✅ Leadership lessons learned from years of entrepreneurship  ✅ Why great leadership doesn't happen by accident – it happens by design  ✅ How to create greater impact, influence and value in your organisation If you're an information leader, records manager, data professional, entrepreneur or aspiring leader, this episode will inspire you to keep going, keep learning and keep showing up. 🎯 Take the EMPOWER Scorecard Want to discover where you are on your leadership journey? Complete the FREE EMPOWER Leadership Scorecard and receive personalised insights into your leadership strengths, opportunities and next steps. Take the scorecard here: EMPOWER Leadership Scorecard [https://scorecard.leadershipthroughdata.com/empower] 🎁 Stay Until The End! Don't miss the surprise at the end of the episode. As a thank you for supporting the podcast, five lucky listeners will receive a special gift designed to help accelerate their leadership journey. Connect with Jacqueline 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast  ⭐ Leave a review  🔄 Share this episode with a colleague  💜 Join Jacqueline's LinkedIn Live sessions every Wednesday Because together, we can raise the profile of information, data and records management. Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Beautiful. 💜 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/support]

062 Garbage In, Garbage Copilot: Information Management in the AI Era (or The Information Architecture of AI) with Kevin McDonnell

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/fan_mail/new] Turning on Microsoft Copilot is easy—the real challenge is what happens next. In this episode, host Jacqueline Stockwell sits down with Microsoft MVP Kevin McDonnell to dissect the massive "wake-up call" organizations face regarding information hygiene, oversharing, and data permissions.  We talk about the newly introduced Copilot CoWork (Microsoft’s pay-as-you-go credit service), the real cost of automation, and how to deal with redundant, obsolete, and trivial (ROT) data before your AI references a draft policy from 2018. If you are wondering how the role of the knowledge manager shifts from "librarian" to "coach" over the next three to five years, this is an episode you cannot afford to miss.  What We Cover: * The Copilot Shock: Why turning on AI immediately highlights your worst permissions hygiene.  * Understanding CoWork: How it takes action (like cleaning your calendar or auditing DevOps) and what it actually costs.  * Taming the ROT: Practical ways to structure your information architecture so AI remains accurate.  * The Evolving Knowledge Worker: Why the future of knowledge management belongs to prompt delegators, AI skill definers, and human influence.  2. Referred Material Links (For Show Notes) Keep your listeners connected to the resources mentioned in the episode: * Connect with the Guest: Kevin McDonnell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com] *  Listen to Kevin’s Podcast: The Copilot Connection Podcast [https://www.copilotconnection.com] (with Zoe Wilson and Gary Trinder)  * Kevin's BlueSky: @KevMcDonk on BlueSky [https://bsky.app] *  AI & Prompting Resources Mentioned: * Anthropic AI Skills Guide [https://www.anthropic.com] *  Skills.sh Repository [https://skills.sh] * Get Your Data AI-Ready: Leadership Through Data Training Courses [https://leadershipthroughdata.com] * Microsoft 365 SharePoint Records Management Training UK [https://leadershipthroughdata.com/courses/uk/microsoft-365-uk/microsoft-365-sharepoint-records-management/] * Microsoft 365 Copilot | Training for Information Managers | UK [https://leadershipthroughdata.com/courses/uk/microsoft-365-uk/microsoft-365-copilot-for-information-managers/] * Microsoft 365 Information Architecture Training Course | UK & IRE [https://leadershipthroughdata.com/courses/uk/microsoft-365-uk/microsoft-365-information-architecture/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/support]

061 Bridging the Gap: How to Sit Between Tech, Business, and AI with Duncan Boyne

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/fan_mail/new] Are your business users actually opening your data dashboards, or are they getting lost in a sea of rows, columns, and overcomplicated metrics? In this episode, host Jacqueline Stockwell sits down with Power BI and Fabric specialist Duncan Boyne to bridge the "messy middle" between heavy data engineering and real-world business decisions. Duncan shares his unconventional approach to data storytelling—including why he asks clients about their favourite addictive smartphone apps to design better dashboards. We also dive deep into how data and compliance professionals can stop waiting for official IT corporate rollouts and start using generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini safely today to become "dangerously efficient." Key Takeaways * The Golden Rule of Data Storytelling: If a stakeholder looks at a report and has to ask "What does this column mean?" or "Why is that blue?", the dashboard has already failed. True storytelling prompts actions, not formatting questions. * Designing for "Doom Scrollers": Why understanding whether your stakeholder scrolls TikTok, reads LinkedIn, or browses Amazon dictates the layout and visual architecture of their reporting. * The Power of "Silly Questions": How asking the most basic, seemingly naive questions can break through the "curse of knowledge" and solve massive operational blind spots (like how a simple seasonal temperature shift ruined an engineering company’s product failure metrics). * Becoming Dangerously Efficient with AI: How to use LLMs right now for mundane tasks like accessibility testing, color blindness theory verification, or creating date tables, without exposing live or sensitive customer data. * Enterprise Guardrails vs. Shadow AI: Why rolling out AI requires the exact same rigid IT planning, testing, and sandboxed UAT environments as a new CRM system. Links & Resources Mentioned * Connect with Duncan Boyne: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/] * Get Duncan's Toolkit: https://github.com/DuncanBoyne/AI-BI [https://github.com/DuncanBoyne/AI-BI] * Learn More About Leadership Through Data: www.leadershipthroughdata.com  * The Leadership Through Data EMPOWER Scorecard - Get clear on where you may be exposed — privately and without judgement - The Leadership Through Data EMPOWER Scorecard [https://scorecard.leadershipthroughdata.com/empower] * Event Mentioned: Experts Live UK at Code Node London Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2609176/support]