Thinkers360

Data Products & Services Framework

Jan



Continuing from where I left off with the first three steps in progressing towards developing your data products and services with my suggested framework.

At this point you will know how your business strategy is enabled by data. Identified pain and opportunities across the business. Developed a methodology for prioritising your activity in moving forward to your ease pain or develop opportunities.

The previous 3 steps can be found here:
https://lizhendersondata.wordpress.com/2021/12/05/data-products-services-framework/

Let’s get into the next step.



  1. Communication & Celebration

Data is a people business, it’s mostly about change management, advocacy and up-skilling. None of which are achievable without the human touch. You don’t govern data, you govern the people and what they do.

In step 4, work out the best way to understand the culture of change acceptance, the pace at which this will be accepted and, have the positive desired results within your organisation. It’s likely to be at a different pace across different departments, which is fine. Work with your most proactive departments first and communicate widely across the business regularly to help others become supportive at their pace.



Formulating a plan to regularly promote and celebrate success with data and raise up examples of data activities done well. Developing a method for communicating progress, change and success to enhance the culture of data is just as important as data quality and value creation. And technology.

What are the mechanisms you have for sharing good examples of success with data?

How will you communicate priorities and progress?

How will you invite ideas and suggestions for future initiatives from all, building that community spirit and engagement of, we are all in this together?

How will you communicate with different audiences taking into account of different needs and levels of engagement?



  1. Strategy & Vision

In step 5, develop the data direction for the organisation, to engender a spirit of togetherness, all travelling in the same direction aiming for that North Star without leaving it open to interpretation of the journey pathway that will be taken.

Having your Chief Data Officer providing this direction to cascade down and across the entire organisation helps demonstrate the senior support and sponsorship to help others see the importance of this. It’s not a passing phase, it’s a critical area of development for the organisations future success.

In developing your vision as part of your strategy, consider the story to bring the strategic objectives to life for the whole organisation.

How will the vision benefit the individuals across the business – a case of ‘what’s in it for me?’

How will the customers benefit / Who are customers, both internally and externally?

What will be the differences in how the organisation operates today’s?

What cultural changes and learning opportunities will be needed?

How can this be visually presented as that strategy on a page for ease of understand and clarity for all, in the direction you are going in and why?



  1. Roadmap to the New World

Following on from the strategy and vision, in step 6, we are looking to create and communicate the plan for what will happen. How does the strategy break down into 6 monthly deliverable chucks to demonstrate progress and change for the first 2 years, then high level aims for the following period of time.

Who is involved in each step?

What is needed from the leadership team to progress the delivery of the roadmap?

What will be the change that individuals see as the journey progresses along the pathway.

Well there you have it, your 6 steps to move forward with new data products and services. Next you must execute your plan to bring your ideas to fruition. Data skills are at a premium at present, it’s still possible with the right advice and research to move these exciting opportunities forward. Don’t rush, get the foundations right. Listen to your business heartbeat. Test out ideas. See which ones surface as being successful. One step at a time, like eating an elephant!

By Liz Henderson

Keywords: Analytics, Big Data, Change Management

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