Bridging the "Implementation Gap" in Your Data Strategy

In 2023 I was asked as an external advisor to review 12 data strategies for companies that had been sitting on the shelf gathering dust. All were created by external consultancies.

What I found were three key trends:

👉The majority were focused on data use cases and not business use cases
👉Approx. 80% were focused on building a data platform (technology)
👉None of them outlined how the strategy would be made real through an “Operating Model”.

In the realm of data strategies, complexity often becomes the Achilles’ heel, that hinders successful execution.

What tends to occur through this complexity is the client suffers from what is called the “Implementation Gap” – the reality that the output provided by the consultant cannot be implemented due to it’s complexity.

Why does this happen?

With that complexity comes five fatal flaws and hence the client puts the data strategy on the shelf.

Here are those flaws and how to navigate the “Implementation Gap”:

👉Client-Centric Approach:
Flaw: Initiatives defined in terms of consultant products.❌
Solution: Tailor strategies to client needs, fostering a client-centric approach that prioritises their strategic goals over predefined solutions.

👉Readiness for Change:
Flaw: Relying on subject matter logic, and overlooking client readiness for change.❌
Solution: Assess and enhance organisational readiness, ensuring a strategic alignment with the client’s capacity for transformation.

👉Incremental Gain vs. Big Solutions:
Flaw: Output offering one big solution instead of incremental gains.❌
Solution: Advocate for a phased approach, delivering measurable improvements that build momentum and stakeholder buy-in.

👉Building Genuine Partnerships:
Flaw: Lack of a real client/consultant partnership.❌
Solution: Foster collaboration, communication, and trust, ensuring a true partnership that leverages collective expertise for mutual success.

👉Optimising Consultant Contributions:
Flaw: Too many consultants in the mix.❌
Solution: Streamline consultant involvement, emphasising quality over quantity, and aligning their expertise with specific needs.

Consultants get wrapped up in their own narrative and often believe they know best. That is not true at all. I have had to learn this myself through sweat, blood and tears!

Addressing these fatal flaws will not only mitigate the “Implementation Gap” but also pave the way for a robust and executable data strategy.

Have you suffered from this?

If your answer is yes, then please get in touch and we can chat about my approach for a “Business Driven Data Strategy” that makes sense for your organisation and offers a results based view.

Let’s bridge the implementation gap and make your data strategy a reality in 2024. There is much to do!