Q2 CTA Data Operations Plan
Status: Draft
Created: 2026-03-21
Updated: 2026-03-21 (incorporating March 20 Q2 sync with Katherine Bayless)
Author: Cursor Agent
CSO: Uttam Kumaran
Service Leads: Olaish (Data), Jasmine (Strategy & Reporting)
Client: Consumer Technology Association (CTA) - Katherine Bayless (Senior Director, Data Engineering)
Quick Links:
- Q1 2026 Data Operations SOW
- CES 2026 Execution Roadmap
- March 20 Q2 Sync Transcript (to be added)
- Q2 GTM Linear Cleanup Plan (template reference)
1. Context & Problem Statement
Current State (End of Q1 2026)
CTA has made significant progress establishing the DataOps foundation:
- Three-environment Snowflake structure (dev/QA/prod) with dbt layers
- Semantic layer models for CES 2026 data with views for standardized calculations
- Identity stitching achieving ~90% match rate for entity resolution
- Kyle (CTA Data Analyst) onboarding to dbt and Snowflake workflows
- Data governance mapping tables established (market codes, product interest codes, program codes)
New Q2 Team Context (per March 20 sync)
CTA is significantly expanding their internal data team in Q2:
- New Data Engineer starting April 6 or April 20 (moving from Raleigh)
- Product Owner for CES Platforms team (recruiting)
- Integrations Engineer (likely repurposed from Jay’s team)
- Business Analyst (already hired, Jay’s team)
- Director of IT (interviewed strong candidate this week)
- Chris (Market Research) formalized 30% time with data team starting April 1 - will work on enrichment pipelines
This changes the dynamic: Q2 transitions from Brainforge-led delivery to collaborative execution with growing CTA team ownership.
Problem Statement
Q1 focused on infrastructure setup and CES preparation. Q2 must:
- Complete CES post-event deep analysis (audit-quality reporting, exhibitor ROI)
- Resolve DataOps ID integration across vendors (Merits built it in, others following)
- Implement BI tool deferred from Q1 (per SOW)
- Build automation framework for integrations (webhooks, APIs, reverse ETL)
- Deliver operational analytics while CTA team scales
Goal
Transform from data infrastructure setup to operational analytics delivery and automation framework, with CTA team taking increasing ownership while Brainforge provides strategic data architecture and complex analytics support.
2. Connection to Broader Goals
CTA Strategic Objectives
- Data-driven decision making for membership and events
- Self-service analytics reducing manual Excel processes
- Single source of truth for customer/member data across systems
- CES insights for exhibitor retention and sponsor prospectus
- Pre-credentialing automation for CES 2027 (registration opens August)
Brainforge Q2 Delivery Standards
- Aligns with Brylle’s quantifiable metrics bet: tracking deliverables, team velocity, data quality
- Mentorship program: Weekly check-ins with Kyle + new data engineer onboarding
- Documentation-first: Runbooks enabling CTA team independence
AWS ProServe Engagement
- Tool consolidation through AWS Marketplace
- Governance framework for vendor management
- Infrastructure optimization (targeting June 1 Sage Intacct ERP migration)
3. Work Phases
Phase 1: CES Post-Event Analysis & DataOps ID (Weeks 1-4: April)
Audit-Quality Reporting Completion
- Complete data quality reconciliation between Snowflake and audit report
- Resolve Fortune 500 company matching (move from attendee-level to company-level Boolean)
- Fix product category code mappings (use new non-truncated column from Merits)
- Verify attendance logic across 2024-2026
- Deliver final CES 2026 attendance figures to leadership
- Exhibitor ROI analysis (lead scans + foot traffic + session attendance)
- Sponsor prospectus dataset for Gary (membership/sales team)
DataOps ID Resurrection & Identity Stitching
- Complete entity resolution for all CES 2026 data sources
- Create DataOps ID bridge tables linking Remembers, Salesforce CRM, Merits
- Solve on-site registration bypass (people registering directly in Merits without Okta loop)
- Document match rates for membership team curation
- Implement Power Automate workflow for creating missing company records in Remembers
Phase 2: Automation Framework & Integrations (Weeks 4-8: April-May)
Pre-Credentialing Pipeline (Priority for CES 2027)
- Formstack → Data Lake → Merits webhook pipeline for advance credentialing
- Identity stitching on pre-credentialing data (company matching, domain validation)
- Curated list management for pre-approved companies/domains
- Webhook architecture documentation and governance
Platform Integrations
- Innovation Awards (Open Water) - opens July 1, needs identity stitching for member/exhibitor discounts
- Cvent integration - prioritize for spring events and CES side events
- Zoom webinar integration - attendance data pipeline
- MapYourShow integration - exhibitor directory data
- EventPoint integration - post-CES priority
API/Automation Infrastructure
- Lambda/serverless architecture for webhook endpoints (discuss with Awaish/AWS ProServe)
- Naming conventions and governance for API endpoints
- Fivetran connector for end-user self-serve list uploads to Marketing Cloud
Phase 3: BI Tool & Dashboard Governance (Weeks 6-10: May-June)
Tool Selection & Setup
- Evaluate Sigma vs alternatives (revisit December discussions)
- Proof of concept with Katherine, Kyle, Kai, new data engineer
- Procurement through AWS Marketplace (leverage ProServe engagement)
- Snowflake connection and dbt semantic layer integration
Dashboard Development
- Executive dashboard (Katherine/Jackie): CES overview, membership trends
- Marketing dashboard (Dave Fennessy): Product category interest, demographic analysis
- Membership dashboard (Anna P/K/R): Active member reporting, engagement scores
- Streamlit governance: Kai leading dashboard design with Brainforge support
Documentation & Knowledge Management
- Data dictionary and business glossary publication
- Metric definitions as dbt macros (verified attendee, senior level, etc.)
- Dashboard SOPs and training materials
- Glean integration exploration (deferred from Q1)
Phase 4: Team Enablement & Handoff (Weeks 8-12: June)
Onboarding New CTA Team Members
- New data engineer onboarding (dbt, Snowflake, CTA data model)
- Chris (market research) onboarding to enrichment pipelines
- Kyle + new engineer pair programming on model development
- Kai ownership of dashboard design and discovery work
Operational Transition
- Brainforge office hours model (vs. high-touch daily support)
- Escalation path documentation
- Troubleshooting runbooks for common pipeline issues
Phase 5: Strategic Initiatives & Q3 Prep (Ongoing Q2)
Finance & ERP Integration
- Prophix/Sage Intacct ERP migration support (targeting June 1 go-live)
- Finance data pipeline exploration (Ironclad, Concur, bank reconciliation)
- Metric consistency between operational and closed-book accounting data
Tool Consolidation & Governance
- AWS Marketplace vendor migration strategy
- Okta authentication optimization (ongoing workstream)
- Shopify digital asset store evaluation (Katherine bandwidth permitting)
- Cvent behind SSO initiative
Q3 Readiness
- Innovation Awards (Open Water) integration testing
- CES 2027 pre-credentialing workflow ready for August launch
- Automation framework mature enough for “cool and new” work during CES season
4. Success Metrics
| Metric | Before (End Q1) | Target (End Q2) | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| CES data quality reconciliation | 95% matched | 99%+ audit-quality accuracy | Olaish |
| DataOps ID vendor integrations | 0 complete | Merits + 2 others | Olaish |
| BI tool implementation | Deferred | Sigma operational | Jasmine |
| Active dashboards | 0 | 4+ (Exec, Marketing, Membership, Self-Service) | Jasmine |
| Platform integrations | 0 new | 3+ (Open Water, Cvent, Zoom) | Olaish |
| Pre-credentialing pipeline | Not started | Formstack → Merits operational | Olaish |
| CTA team model ownership | Kyle learning | Kyle + new engineer independent | Olaish |
| Marketing Cloud self-serve | Manual | Fivetran connector for end users | Olaish |
| Documentation coverage | Partial | Complete (dictionary, SOPs, runbooks) | Jasmine |
| Brainforge support model | High touch | Office hours (2x/week) | Uttam |
5. Risks & Mitigations
| Risk | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| New CTA team members start late | Parallel onboarding tracks; recorded sessions; simplified first models | Uttam/Olaish |
| DataOps ID on-site registration bypass | Architect fallback capture mechanism; document edge cases | Olaish |
| BI tool procurement delays | AWS Marketplace route; Power BI interim; start eval early April | Jasmine |
| Open Water API limitations | Discover alternative integration patterns; manual fallback | Olaish |
| Prophix ERP migration complexity | Phase approach; prioritize reporting views over transactional | Olaish |
| Marketing Cloud data extension sprawl | Document current state; governance framework; Fivetran self-serve | Jasmine |
| CES scanner data format unknown | Request sample early; build flexible pipeline | Olaish |
| Scope creep from Shopify/Okta | Clear boundaries; separate Linear initiatives; Katherine bandwidth check | Uttam |
6. Open Questions
- New Team Member Start Dates: Data engineer - April 6 or 20? Others TBD?
- Open Water API: Can we modify form fields mid-submission for discount validation, or different pattern needed?
- Pre-credentialing Timeline: When does Formstack workflow need to be live for testing?
- BI Tool Budget: Sigma vs alternatives - AWS Marketplace credits available?
- Prophix ERP: What data structures will Sage Intacct expose? API availability?
- Chris (Market Research): Specific enrichment pipeline priorities? Data sources?
- Power Automate: Share API key/connection details for Remembers write-backs
- Cvent Integration: Technical contact for API/webhook setup?
7. Next Steps
- Review and approve plan (owner: Uttam, Katherine) - Due: March 24
- Schedule Q2 kickoff with expanded CTA team (Katherine, Kyle, Kai, new hires if started) - Week of March 31
- Finalize Q2 SOW/engagement structure with expanded scope - Due: April 4
- BI tool evaluation sessions scheduled - Week of April 1
- Architecture discussion: Lambda vs API Gateway for webhooks (Awaish input needed)
- Create Linear initiative “CTA Q2 Data Operations” with projects for each phase
- Power Automate key shared for Remembers integration exploration
8. Related Resources
| Resource | Location |
|---|---|
| Q1 2026 Data Operations SOW | knowledge/clients/cta/sows/SOW_CTA_2026_Q1_Data_Operations.md |
| CES Execution Roadmap | knowledge/clients/cta/resources/CES_2026_Report_Execution_Roadmap.md |
| Weekly Transcripts | knowledge/clients/cta/transcripts/ |
| Data Governance Mappings | knowledge/clients/cta/resources/ (market codes, product codes, program codes) |
| Q2 GTM Linear Cleanup Plan | knowledge/plans/q2-gtm-linear-cleanup-plan.md (template reference) |
| Linear Cleanup Taxonomy | standards/04-prompts/tickets/linear-cleanup-taxonomy.md |
| Quarterly Planning Skill | .cursor/skills/quarterly-planning/SKILL.md |
9. Linear Execution (Secondary)
This section outlines the Linear structure (initiatives, projects, milestones, tickets) to be created/updated as part of Q2 execution. This is secondary documentation — the plan above stands alone, but this provides implementation guidance for Linear hygiene.
Current Linear State (CTA Team)
To audit via Linear MCP:
- List existing CTA initiatives and their status
- List active projects under CTA team
- Identify orphaned issues (no project assignment)
- Check milestone coverage for ongoing work
Likely findings (to confirm):
- Q1 2026 Data Operations initiative (may exist from SOW)
- Projects for: Remembers integration, SFMC staging, CES analytics
- Tickets without clear project assignment
- Missing milestones for key deliverables
Proposed Linear Structure for Q2
Option A: Single Q2 Initiative with Phase-Based Projects
| Initiative | CTA Q2 2026 Data Operations | Target: 2026-06-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Phase 1: CES Post-Event Analysis | Milestones: Audit Complete (Apr 15), DataOps ID Resolved (Apr 30) |
| Project | Phase 2: Automation Framework | Milestones: Pre-credentialing Pipeline (May 15), Platform Integrations (May 30) |
| Project | Phase 3: BI Tool & Dashboards | Milestones: Tool Selected (Apr 30), Executive Dashboard Live (May 30) |
| Project | Phase 4: Team Enablement | Milestones: New Engineer Onboarded (May 15), Kyle Independent (Jun 15) |
| Project | Phase 5: Strategic Initiatives | Milestones: ERP Migration Support (Jun 1), Q3 Prep Complete (Jun 30) |
Option B: Multiple Thematic Initiatives
| Initiative | CTA CES 2026 Deep Analytics | Target: 2026-04-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Audit-Quality Reporting | Milestones: Data Reconciliation, Final Figures |
| Project | Exhibitor ROI & Attendee Analysis | Milestones: ROI Models, Session Patterns |
| Project | DataOps ID & Identity Stitching | Milestones: Vendor Integration, On-site Registration Fix |
| Initiative | CTA Platform Integrations | Target: 2026-05-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Pre-credentialing Pipeline | Milestones: Formstack → Merits Webhook |
| Project | Innovation Awards (Open Water) | Milestones: API Integration, Identity Stitching |
| Project | Cvent & Zoom Integration | Milestones: Cvent SSO, Zoom Attendance Pipeline |
| Initiative | CTA BI & Analytics | Target: 2026-06-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Project | BI Tool Implementation | Milestones: Sigma Eval, Procurement, Connection |
| Project | Dashboard Development | Milestones: Executive, Marketing, Membership Dashboards |
| Project | Streamlit Governance | Milestones: SOPs, Training Materials |
Linear Cleanup Actions Required
Audit Actions (Week 1 of Q2):
- List all CTA team issues without project → assign to appropriate Q2 project
- Close Q1 Data Operations issues that are complete
- Archive or move to “Backlog” any Q1 issues that won’t be completed
- Update Q1 initiative status to “Completed” or “At Risk” with summary
Creation Actions (Week 1-2 of Q2):
- Create Q2 Data Operations initiative (or thematic initiatives per Option B)
- Create 5 projects (or 8-9 per Option B) with descriptions
- Set project target dates aligned with phase timelines
- Create milestones for each project’s key deliverables
- Label taxonomy: apply
data,integration,analytics,ces-2026,q2-2026
Ongoing Hygiene (Weekly during Q2):
- Ensure all new CTA tickets have project assignment
- Review “Todo this Cycle” → move to In Progress or Backlog
- Close blocked items older than 2 weeks
- Monthly milestone health check (Green/Yellow/Red)
Linear Label Taxonomy for CTA
Type: data-modeling, integration, analytics, reporting, infrastructure
Client-Facing: ces-2026, membership, marketing, finance
Priority: p0-urgent, p1-high, p2-medium, p3-low
Status: needs-review, ready-for-work, in-review, blocked
Quarter: q2-2026, q3-2026
Owner: olaish, jasmine, kyle, kai, new-engineer
Migration from Q1 to Q2
Q1 Data Operations Initiative → Q2:
- Update Q1 initiative description with “Completed/Handed off to Q2”
- Move incomplete but continuing work to Q2 projects (e.g., CES analytics that extends into post-event)
- Create dependency links between Q1 deliverables and Q2 projects where applicable
Notes
- Execution: This Linear structure should be created after plan approval (see Next Steps)
- Alignment: Use
linear-roadmap-to-structureskill to scaffold this from the Q2 plan phases - Maintenance: Assign Linear ownership to Kyle + new data engineer for day-to-day ticket management
- Client Visibility: Share relevant Linear project links with Katherine for transparency