Q’s origin story

If you don’t know much about Data Clan, you’re exactly where I was a few short months ago.

Having worked in schools for twenty years, I was tired of constantly facing the same problems and listening to those problems redefined and re-solved, as the goal posts were inevitably moved again and again. I was worn out from the never-ending ‘to do’ list and the feeling of repeating the same tasks by ticking a slightly amended set of boxes.

Then came Data Clan. I was invited to apply for the post of Clan Quartermaster. If the job title wasn’t intriguing enough, finding out that I’d be interviewed by a psychological profiler with experience working in counter-terrorism and that I’d have the opportunity to work with a diverse team of experts determined to do some good certainly motivated me to go for it.

I soon found out that this experience would be more than just a job, realising that working with this incredibly talented team would change the way I thought of work, the world, and myself. I no longer feel like a small cog in a big machine, I feel like I am part of the idea and hopefully part of some solutions. Working in an agile environment without the usual barriers to innovation has already taught me the concept of failing fast and learning quickly.

One of my first tasks was to get to know a little bit about why our experts are known as such. It’s safe to say I learnt a lot! The list included everything from exciting medical research to revolutionary ideas for designing buildings with a focus on commodity, from producing relationship frameworks which transform the way businesses think about their teams to working with government initiatives to make buildings safer for residents across the UK. As well as the extensive work-related and academic enterprises, the team told me their stories… time spent working with the Cuban Government, marathon-running, charity work, Latin dancing and visits to North Korea. With such broad and exciting life experiences, it’s little wonder these people are so adept at dissecting and breaking down problems in new ways, making surprising links with the bigger picture, and finding innovative solutions.

Data Clan puts a very clear emphasis on team: the sum of our parts is greater than the whole. The mission is to do some good and make a difference, not just by thinking outside the box, but by believing that there is no box.

Q

PS – the company welfare officer is a big plus too…