In the world of data, there\u2019s an unsettling trend that\u2019s hard to ignore: data teams are increasingly fixated on building data platforms, data meshes, data fabrics etc., often at the expense of a real, value-driven data strategy. While it’s true that having a solid data infrastructure is essential, it\u2019s only a means to an end, not the end itself. And this platform-first mentality is not only problematic, but it also poses a serious threat to the long-term viability of data teams themselves. Harsh as it may sound.<\/p>\n
The Rise of the Platform Builders<\/strong><\/p>\n Contrary to what I might have just said, it’s often hard to argue against the need for strong data platforms. These platforms enable organisations to collect, store, and manage their data, providing the foundation for analytics, AI, and insights. But here’s the problem, many data teams seem to be equating “building a platform” with having a “data strategy.” They\u2019re spending huge amounts of time, money, and talent on the tech stack, but often without a clear link to business outcomes or a vision for how the platform will drive value.<\/p>\n This “build-first, think-later” mindset comes with significant risks. When data teams become preoccupied with technical infrastructure, they can easily lose sight of the bigger picture: delivering tangible business value. Eddie Short quite rightly said that maybe we should think about outsourcing the plumbing to the CIO\/CTO, so that the data teams or the CDO office can focus on value adding activities. Lat month I called out that we must start focusing on revenue driven data strategies, which is far from a data platform.<\/p>\n A well-built data platform is useless without actionable insights or a clear understanding of how it can support the value adding use cases. Yet, many teams believe that if the platform is there, the strategy will follow. It rarely does.<\/p>\n The Dangers of Losing Focus<\/strong><\/p>\n Data teams that focus solely on building data platforms risk positioning themselves as technology service providers rather than strategic partners. This raises a critical question: if their primary function is technical, why should they report to a CDO rather than a CIO? It\u2019s a conversation happening in many organisations right now, especially as more CDOs find their roles being absorbed into CIO or CTO leadership. When the focus is purely on infrastructure or tools, data teams face the danger of becoming obsolete or sidelined altogether.<\/p>\n Here’s my take on this and as per usual I will keep it at 3 points:<\/p>\n Strategy First, Platform Second<\/strong><\/p>\n A strong data strategy is focused on business outcomes first, with technology and platforms coming later. The value of data doesn’t come from how beautifully the stack is built, it comes from how effectively the organisation leverages data to make better decisions, improve operations, and create new products or services.<\/p>\n The true value of data teams lies in their ability to integrate with the business, understand its challenges, and deliver solutions that drive growth, efficiency, and innovation. Data platforms should be an enabler of this mission, not the mission itself.<\/p>\n What does a strategy-first approach look like? It starts with asking the right questions:<\/p>\n Once those questions are answered, then the technology comes into play, driven by the needs of the strategy\u2014not the other way around.<\/p>\n The Path Forward for Data Teams<\/strong><\/p>\n Data teams need to move beyond platform-building and embrace their role as strategic enablers. That means leading conversations around business goals, proactively identifying opportunities where data can make a difference, and ensuring that any technology they build is directly tied to value creation.<\/p>\n Those that don\u2019t shift their focus from tech to strategy risk being marginalised. In a world where platforms can be commoditised and outsourced, the real power of a data team lies in its ability to turn data into insight into action.<\/p>\n To survive and thrive, data teams must stop thinking like engineers and start thinking like strategists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the world of data, there\u2019s an unsettling trend that\u2019s hard to ignore: data teams are increasingly fixated on building data platforms, data meshes, data fabrics etc., often at the expense of a real, value-driven data strategy. While it’s true that having a solid data infrastructure is essential, it\u2019s only a means to an end, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":546,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n