Many organisations tend to think of data as an asset, “owned” by a specific team or department: thinking of it in this way can often lead to an attempt to hoard information or limit sharing. However, time has shown that interoperable data able to flow through the organisation can be beneficial and hence should be put to good use. An increasingly open environment would help reduce the accessibility challenges CDOs currently face, and serve as the basis for seeing data as a product rather than an asset. In this sense, establishing a data product strategy is of the upmost importance in making sure that the organisation has clean data for downstream consumption.

• Identify clear objectives and use cases for your data as a product in order to begin organising data by specific use company-wide
• Assess your capabilities currently in place, including understanding your data’s accuracy and integration, and consider the value of a data product manager in helping you achieve your goals
• Discover the strategies necessary to organise cross-functional departments to develop and sell data products