Lisa Morgan, Freelance WriterMay 8, 20255 Min ReadSOPA Images Limited via Alamy StockSome traditional companies stand the test of time because they can adapt to change. One such organization is Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company), a provider of global staple brands including Cheez-Its, Pringles and Rice Krispie Treats. Such brands have stood the test of time because people identify with them. In many cases, these and other Kellanova brands aren’t simply just another option, they’re the anchors of good memories involving friends and family. To stay relevant over the decades, Kellanova has continuously updated their tech and even their approach to businesses. Collaboration has been key, along with becoming more agile.  “We've done a lot of the foundational work across technology and have implemented strong frameworks, standards, policies, so that we're building things in the right way. Our priorities are focused around people and capabilities,” says Loretta Franks, chief data and analytics officer at Kellanova. “One of my goals is to make sure that we're leveraging data to drive value for our organization.”  Recently, Kellanova has been experimenting with GenAI capabilities and has deployed Microsoft Copilot across the organization. “That’s been a great learning and a great way of bringing the organization into experimenting, learning and seeing what it feels like to work with GenAI capabilities,” says Franks. “Externally, we’ve done some fantastic AI initiatives predominantly focused on how we engage with our consumers.” Related:Loretta Franks, KellanovaA good example is Pringles Poptopia, which recognizes the growing demand for personalization in a post-third-party data world. Kellanova launched it to provide a direct-to-consumer, digital experience. Each Pringles can includes a QR code, giving consumers access to personalized, exclusive content. This provides Kellanova an opportunity to engage and better understand its diverse audiences. And it turns out that Poptopia has had “fantastic uptake and lots of visits.” Kellanova Has a People-First Culture Kellanova’s people-first culture is fertile ground for cross-functional collaboration. “There’s great collaboration across the whole of the global IT function, and more broadly across the business. We have a #OneTeam mantra that reflects how we engage,” says Franks. Franks is responsible for data governance, data science, data engineering, platform and data architecture, data and analytics change management, and communications support. “We rely on and collaborate heavily with our business relationship managers, infrastructure teams and enterprise architecture teams, as well as all of our data experts and functional leads,” says Franks. “Within data and analytics, the power and value is in the product team that comes together and collaborates to achieve successful outcomes.” Related:Not surprisingly, Kellanova is very data intensive and must be to stay relevant. “[It’s important to consider] how you prioritize where to go and what to do. Obviously, with the analytics and insights that you gain, this will enable good decision making that impacts the business positively,” says Franks. “We always ask what the business strategy is, what are the choices we are making and what innovations are we driving. Analytics can then accelerate decision making or even help make those choices in the first place.” However, all that needs to be balanced with cost evaluation and feasibility, which influences prioritization.  “You need to make sure that you choose the right things for your organization and business strategy. And then there’s the big piece around how you then embed it and fundamentally realize the value,” says Franks. “I think a lot of it is around people and capabilities, driving adoption and making sure that it’s embedded into new processes. You must consider change management as a key ingredient and being agile as you go.” Related:Working in a more agile way means meeting the needs of the customer underpinned by making continuous improvements throughout the life cycle.   “It’s a much more iterative process, and that’s been very successful for us. The other thing that we've done really well is sharing best practice across the functions and regions where some things have worked well, and bringing communities of practice together,” says Franks. “We’ve got some great communities of practice across our organization, like how data scientists share insights across different markets and on how well things have worked.” Kellanova Recently Updated Its Culture Kellanova’s latest culture tweak is the “culture of best,” the values that underpin how the company operates. Its three pillars include integrity, accountability, and courage. When those pillars are applied to digital and AI experimentation, integrity ensures that the strategy is being carried out in an ethical way, accountability ensures that value has been realized, and courage helps facilitate experimentation. “Our fundamentals and values haven’t changed over the years. We’ve always been consumer and brand first, but data has allowed us to be a lot faster and more agile now,” says Franks. “The numerous transformations that businesses go through build strength and resilience in your people. We’ve been successful in nurturing these skills to remain at the forefront of our industry.” As a global organization, that means different priorities in different regions. To operate leaner and more efficiently, Kellanova has identified areas where there is commonality so it can drive reusability and economies of scale. It is now only customizing where it makes good business sense and where it’s truly necessary.  Frank’s team has developed simple frameworks and structures so that data challenges can be approached in a consistent and simple way. Some of them focus on value driving while others focus on compliance and regulation. More broadly, the company has been very deliberate when it comes to data-related investments. “No one can predict everything that’s going to happen in the macro environment over the next few years, which is why it’s so important to focus on your people and build the skills they need to succeed today and into the future,” says Franks. About the AuthorLisa MorganFreelance WriterLisa Morgan is a freelance writer who covers business and IT strategy and emerging technology for InformationWeek. She has contributed articles, reports, and other types of content to many technology, business, and mainstream publications and sites including tech pubs, The Washington Post and The Economist Intelligence Unit. Frequent areas of coverage include AI, analytics, cloud, cybersecurity, mobility, software development, and emerging cultural issues affecting the C-suite.See more from Lisa MorganReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like