Data-Driven DEI

RANDAL PINKETT, PHD, MBA, is an entrepreneur, innovator, speaker, author, media personality, and scholar. He is a diversity, equity, and inclusion expert who is leading the way in business, technology, data, and equity for all. Dr. Pinkett is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of BCT Partners, a research, training, consulting, technology, and data analytics firm that offers a full range of DEI services and solutions. BCT’s mission is to harness the power of diversity, insights, and innovation to transform lives, accelerate equity, and create lasting change. BCT is a global leader in helping people and organizations make better decisions, improve outcomes, and amplify their impact toward a more equitable society. While Dr. Pinkett has been recognized as EY Entrepreneur of the Year, BCT has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms, and by Manage HR Magazine as a Top 10 Company for Diversity & Inclusion. BCT is also on the Black Enterprise BE100s list of the nation’s largest African American–owned businesses and the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi

INTRODUCTION xiii

0 STEP 0: DEI Incentives--Self-Reflect and Introspect 1

Dimensions of Personal Transformation 2

What Are Your Personal DEI Incentives? 5

Crafting a Personal DEI Mission and Vision 7

Establishing Personal DEI Aims 8

Dimensions of Organizational Transformation 9

Dimensions of Personal and Organizational Transformation 12

What Are Your Organizational DEI Incentives? 14

Crafting an Organizational DEI Mission and Vision 15

Establishing Organizational DEI Aims 18

DEI Aims vs. DEI Objectives 18

Comprehensive Personal and Organizational DEI Assessment Framework 20

Entering the Five-Step Cycle of Data-Driven DEI 22

1 STEP 1: DEI Inventory for People--Seek Understanding 23

Personal DEI Assessment Framework 24

Understanding Preferences and Competences 25

Preferences 25

Competences 26

Preferences vs. Competences 27

Conducting a Personal DEI Assessment 27

Assessing Your Preferences 28

Assessing Your Competences 43

Assessing Your Preferences and Competences 52

A List of Personal DEI Assessment Tools 53

Choosing the Right Personal DEI Assessment Tool for You 64

Mitigating Data Bias--Part 1 70

Researcher Bias 71

Confirmation and Attribution Bias 72

1 STEP 1: DEI Inventory for Organizations--Seek Understanding 73

Organizational DEI Assessment Framework 74

Conducting an Organizational DEI Assessment 75

Phase 0: Inventory Preferences and Competences 79

Phase I: Administer DEI Culture and Climate Survey (Quantitative Data Collection) 80

A List of Organizational DEI Assessment Tools 84

Phase II-A: Perform DEI Human Resources (HR) Policies and Practices Assessment 96

Phase II-B: Perform DEI Benchmarking or Ranking 98

Phase III: Analyze DEI Quantitative Data 102

Phase IV: Conduct DEI Interviews and Focus Groups (Qualitative Data Collection) 106

Phase V: Analyze DEI Qualitative Data 121

Phase VI: Analyze DEI Mixed-Methods Integrated Data 124

Phase VII: Deliver DEI Assessment Report 129

Mitigating Data Bias--Part 2 131

Selection Bias 131

2 STEP 2: DEI Imperatives--Determine Priorities 133

DEI Objectives and Goals 134

Establishing DEI Objectives 136

Setting DEI Goals 141

3 STEP 3: DEI Insights--Identify "What Works" 159

What Are "What Works" Models? 160

"What Works" Models for People 161

"What Works" Models for Organizations 164

4 STEP 4: DEI Initiatives--Take Action 167

DEI Strategies and Measures 168

Personal DEI Strategy Framework 169

Developing a Personal DEI Preference and Competence Model 171

Designing a Personal DEI Learning Journey 175

The Five Dimensions of a Personal DEI Learning Journey 176

Examples of Personal DEI Strategies 177

The Crawl, Walk, Run Approach to a Personal DEI Learning Journey 179

Organizational DEI Strategy Framework 181

Examples of Organizational DEI Strategies 182

Determining DEI Strategies 189

Formatting Your DEI Strategy Statements 189

Examples of Personal DEI Strategies 189

Examples of Organizational DEI Strategies 190

Defining DEI Measures 194

Formatting Your DEI Measures Statements 194

Personal DEI Strategic Plan Example 195

Organizational DEI Strategic Plan Example 199

5 STEP 5: DEI Impact--Evaluate Results 205

DEI Data Reporting 206

DEI Scorecards 207

A Personal DEI Scorecard 208

An Organizational DEI Scorecard 212

DEI Dashboards 214

A Personal DEI Dashboard 214

An Organizational DEI Dashboard 215

Creating a DEI Scorecard or Dashboard 223

Visualizing Data 224

Decide What Story You Are Trying to Tell with the Data 224

Choose Your Mix of Quantitative and Qualitative Data Visualizations 225

Developing Effective DEI Scorecards and Dashboards 233

Choosing between DEI Scorecards and Dashboards 236

Determining DEI Impact 237

Collecting New Data 237

Evaluating Results 241

Generating Findings 246

The Power of DEI Storytelling 247

DEI Data Storytelling 248

Continuing the Five-Step Cycle of Data-Driven DEI 253

6 Conclusion: The Future of Data-Driven DEI 255

DEI and Equitable Analytics 256

Step 1: Determine the Focus of Analysis 257

Step 2: Build a Causal Logic Model 257

Step 3: Develop an Analytical Framework 258

Step 4: Conduct Precision Modeling 259

Step 5: Perform an Equity Assessment 260

Step 6: Produce Actionable Insights 262

DEI and Deep Learning 263

Large Language Models 264

Large Language Models and DEI 265

DEI and Transparency/Ubiquity 267

DEI Integrated Platforms 268

DEI and DNA 270

NOTES 271

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 277

INDEX 279