Over the last few weeks, we have talked about the importance of setting and measuring the goals of our Continuous Improvement Cycle. Identifying not just successes, but also failures, or unexpected outcomes, provides us with an equal opportunity to refine and improve the overall process.
We understand the “Why”, but in the face of ‘real world’ complexities, the exact route to “How” can be unclear.
A critical challenge to identifying this route can be a weak data culture within the organisation, with employees working in data silos (e.g. standalone Excel workbooks on personal computers), either unsure, or unaware, of the role they play in collecting meaningful, accurate data and often afraid to “put their heads above the parapet”.
Understanding the importance of data centralisation is essential to being able to effectively utilise our data to improve products and services. The beauty of this is that there are benefits to the individual as well as the organisation in terms of enhanced efficiency and performance.
Technology might not be the only driver or full solution to realising a strong data culture, but it is a significant enabler, and while the range of tools to address these challenges grows ever more sophisticated and comprehensive, the truth is that even the incredible advances in low-code/no-code platforms and AI don’t negate the need for both experience and technical skill in addressing these challenges.
Much like the advisory board, or critical friend, we spoke about in relation to the Continuous Improvement Process, combining internal subject matter expertise with the strategic use of external help can greatly accelerate the pace at which an organisation can harness its data.
Ideally, rather than a long-term dependency on a consultancy whose output is report-based, we should look for a supportive, but pragmatic relationship that acts as a bridge from where you are now, to where you need to be. This relationship might deliver in the following broad ways:
Brings analysis and insights to bear on the initial scoping of requirements,
Provides technical expertise to create a single robust semantic model that can be utilised in multiple contexts to surface and visualise the logic from your business processes
Upskills your staff to levels appropriate to their business needs, thereby realising the full potential of your investment
