Data services and decisions have historically been seen as the remit of the IT department. Ownership of large server racks, complex processing demands and a blindsiding use of tech lingo to baffle the uninitiated.
We often see that when databases or martech platforms are owned and designed by IT, they fail to account for the application of the data to drive business decisions and value. Platforms and processes are designed around a technical prioritisation, not a commercial need or end use of the data in the business.
Those instances are (thankfully) reducing, with data being recognised as a valuable asset in a business and a need to ensure it is accessible for the end-users of the data to drive business decisions and commercial growth.
But it requires a cultural shift in a business to drive this change.
Setting your business on a journey to be data-driven requires both leadership using data mindset thinking, and socialisation across all employees to understand and embrace the data asset in your business. This should be at a level to drive decision making across business functions and breaking down the barriers to IT ownership of data is the first step to achieving this.
Today’s Tip: Ensure representation across the business when identifying and designing what you need from your data. It is a business-wide asset and should be valued accordingly.