Cultivating a Pervasive Data Culture - Establishing the Upstream Data Culture Program in PETRONAS

Abstract PETRONAS Upstream is on the journey towards becoming a data enabled and driven organization. To ensure that Upstream is data-driven, it must first be data-enabled where data must be available, accessible, actionable and most importantly trusted for it to be consumed to make accurate decisions. However, simply having data that is democratized (available and accessible) and trusted simply does not guarantee success unless it is accompanied by the right attitudes and behaviors. Another significant challenge observed was the lack of data literacy and inconsistent data governance practices among both data creators and consumers. Additionally, the absence of standardized data management processes has been a major obstacle to establishing a trusted data source, which is essential for making accurate and informed decisions. Therefore, the Upstream Data Culture Program was established to address these challenges and most importantly to cultivate a pervasive data culture within PETRONAS Upstream. The Upstream Data Culture Program was established to shift Upstreams’ mindset from the status quo to a data-driven approach, drawing on the renowned 8-step Change Model by John P. Kotter, a leading expert in business, leadership, and change management. The primary objective of this program is to foster a pervasive data culture by focusing on four key components commonly associated with data-driven organizations: Data Practices, Data Literacy, Data-Driven Leadership, and Data-Driven Decision Making.