Why You Need to Invest in a Data Operating Model

Many people often tout data as the new something, you know oil, bacon or avocado, or as often is mentioned it could be the key to better decision making. Well it might be all of those things, but is simply having more data enough?

For many companies, the harsh truth is that data doesn’t drive value and many forget that “data” is just an enabler. What drives the value is how you intentionally organize and this is called your “Operating Model.”

If you know me, you know that my mantra is that your “Operating Model is what makes your data strategy real.”

I’ve seen many companies that proudly call themselves “data-driven,” yet they find themselves at a standstill when it comes to achieving measurable outcomes.

They just focus on collecting data, implementing dashboards, or investing in the latest analytics tools, but lack in the actual internal alignment with their business operations.

Take Company X, for example. They invested heavily in building a data lake, assuming that more data would mean more insights. Yet after months of effort, the insights they gathered had little impact on actual decision-making.

Why?

They hadn’t developed an operating model to embed the data into their workflows, to ensure that insights were used where and when they were needed most.

Data should never exist in isolation. It needs a purpose, a context within your business. Some would say it’s the lifeblood; I say it’s just a really smart teenager, full of potential but needs constant guidance to actually do something useful. I hope my teenage daughter doesn’t read this!

The companies that truly succeed with data understand that it’s not just about the data itself but about how that data flows through people, processes, and culture.

This is where a robust operating model comes into play.

An effective data operating model connects the dots between your data and your business goals. It ensures that:

👉Use cases are clearly defined and aligned with business outcomes.
👉People know how to use data in their day-to-day roles.
👉Processes are in place to turn insights into actions.
👉Culture embraces data-driven decision-making across all levels.

Without these components in place, even the most sophisticated data strategy is just a collection of numbers isolated from the realities of your business operations.

So, the question isn’t “Do you have enough data?” but rather, “Is your operating model designed to turn your data into action?”

Ask yourself these 3 questions:

👉Are your teams equipped to use the data in meaningful ways?
👉Are your processes aligned to support decisions?
👉Are you investing in the right use cases, not just technology?

Data is powerful, but only when it’s embedded within an operational framework that drives real business outcomes.

It’s time to move beyond the idea that more data equals better decisions—and start focusing on how you can transform that data into something actionable.

Are you ready to build an operating model that makes data work for your business?