Shane Gibson
As a
Shane's Background
I am known for my practical, no-nonsense approach to solving complex data challenges. With over 30 years of experience, I’ve dedicated my career to helping organisations design, deliver, and scale their data practices by adopting innovative patterns that simplify how data teams work.
Drawing on my experience as a consultant, architect, agile coach, and product manager, I iterate and publish patterns and pattern templates to bridge the gap between technical data teams and business stakeholders, ensuring alignment in delivering valuable outcomes.
I have worked in the Data and Analytics domain in a variety of roles including Agile Data Coach, Agile Data Architect (Enterprise, Solution and Data), Agile Data Trainer, DataOps Coach, Presales Consultant and Company Founder.
Between 1996 and 2007 I worked with major international data and analytics software companies including QSP, Oracle and SAS. In 2008 I founded OptimalBI, a multi-million dollar Business Intelligence consultancy based in Wellington New Zealand, which I sold in 2025. Since 2013 one of my focuses has been coaching New Zealand teams on how to deliver Data and Analytics using an Agile mindset and Agile Data patterns and in 2018 I founded PitchBlack to focus on the delivery of Agile Data coaching. In 2019 I co-founded a startup, AgileData.io, with the aim of removing the complexity of managing data by combining a Software as a Service (SaaS) data platform with proven AgileData Ways of Working.
I am the host of the AgileData Podcast and was one of the founding co-hosts of the No Nonsense Agile Podcast for the first 113 episodes
I have authored a number of courses including Gather data requirements in 30 minutes using a shared language , Big Data courses for Cloud Academy and a series of Agile Data private courses for data teams.
An experienced public speaker, Shane regularly speaks at local and international conferences and meetups on subjects across the Agile, Product and Data domain.
I have published my first book in the Agile Data Guide series, An Agile Data Guide to Information Product Canvas.
I have worked with both private and public organisations such as Accident Compensation Corporation, AMP, ANZ Bank, Contact Energy, Department of Corrections, Farm Focus, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Genesis Energy, Meridian, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, New Zealand on Air, New Zealand Transport Agency, Oranga Tamariki, PowerCo, Powershop, Taranaki Savings Bank, Telecom NZ, Tertiary Education Commission, Vector and Xero.
ROLE BASED BIO’S
Author - Agile Data Guides
Shane Gibson is the creator of the Information Product Canvas and the author of the Agile Data Guide series, beginning with An Agile Data Guide To Information Product Canvas.
With over 35 years of experience in data strategy, architecture, and consulting, and more than a decade coaching data teams, Shane is a recognised coach in helping data teams and organisations change how they work.
Known for his practical, no-nonsense approach, Shane’s focus is on simplifying complex data challenges and bridging the gap between technical data teams and stakeholders. He empowers data professionals by providing actionable patterns and pattern templates, enabling them to deliver value faster, reduce waste, while having more fun.
The Information Product Canvas is a prime example, designed to quickly discover and capture data requirements in a repeatable way so that stakeholders love them and data teams can build from them. Shane helps teams replace ambiguous requirements and lengthy processes with a shared, understandable language that focuses directly on driving measurable organisational outcomes.
Shane’s extensive background includes roles as an Agile Data Coach, Enterprise Architect, Product Manager, and founder of multiple data companies. He is also the host of the AgileData Podcast and has authored courses focused on practical data practices, including the popular “Gather data requirements in 30 minutes using a shared language”.
His work, drawing inspiration from the Agile Data Way of Working, provides a proven toolkit for navigating the complexities of modern data delivery.
Shane is passionate about helping others succeed in data and analytics and sharing patterns that allow teams to become “data and business translators” and build trust with stakeholders, ensuring data work actually gets used.
AgileData Coach
Shane has worked in the Business Intelligence, Data and Analytics domain since 1996 in various roles from pre-sales roles with major international software companies, founding a multi-million dollar Business Intelligence consultancy in 2008 and co-founding a Software as a Service AgileData startup in 2019.
Since 2013 Shane’s focus has been coaching New Zealand teams on how to deliver Data and Analytics using an AgileData mindset and techniques.
Shane has coached or trained Data and Analytics teams in both private and public organisations such as ANZ Bank, Tertiary Education Commission, New Zealand Transport Agency, Department of Corrections, Accident Compensation Corporation, PowerCo and Contact Energy,
Agile Architect Bio
Shane has worked in the data and analytics domain in a variety of architecture roles, assisting a wide range of public and private organisations.
This has included crafting architecture documents to provide data blueprints, modern reference architectures, data management frameworks and master data management strategies.
Shane has worked across a myriad of technologies and techniques from traditional relational based platforms and tools, though the advent of self service visualisation and big data platforms. He is now actively engage with a number of organisations deploying modern data platforms leveraging a combination of cloud and open source capabilities.
Shane has been the architecture owner or technical lead on a number of data implementations.
DataOps Delivery
Shane has worked in the Business Intelligence, Data and Analytics domain since 1996 in various roles from pre-sales roles with major international software companies, founding a multi-million dollar Business Intelligence consultancy in 2008 and co-founding a Software as a Service AgileData startup in 2019.
He worked for over 10 years in principal pre-sales roles for both SAS and Oracle. In 2008 he founded OptimalBI, where he worked with a myriad of traditional and modern technologies including Oracle, SAS, Microsoft, Attunity, AWS, Azure, Yellowfin, Qlik, Tableau and MapR.
In 2018 Shane founded PitchBlack to enable him to help organisations deliver a DataOps mindset,
Modern Data Architect
Shane has worked in the Business Intelligence, Data and Analytics domain since 1996 in various roles from pre-sales roles with major international software companies, founding a multi-million dollar Business Intelligence consultancy in 2008 and co-founding a Software as a Service AgileData startup in 2019.
He worked for over 10 years in principal pre-sales roles for both SAS and Oracle. In 2008 he founded OptimalBI, where he worked with a myriad of traditional and modern technologies including Oracle, SAS, Microsoft, Attunity, AWS, Azure, Yellowfin, Qlik, Tableau and MapR.
In 2018 Shane founded PitchBlack to enable him to assist organisations adopt Modern Data Platforms, leveraging the power those platforms provide, while minimising the risks that are inherent with deploying a new breed of technologies.