Data maturity scan: mapping data maturity and defining next steps
An international medical device manufacturer
- Customer case
- Data Strategy
“Our current focus with data is mostly operational. To truly unlock its value, we want to start using it more strategically – to make better-informed decisions with the right focus. But where do we begin? What’s the best approach, and how do we build internal support? What is our current level of data maturity, and what steps should we take to grow?” This was the question posed by an international medical device manufacturer who asked us to carry out a data maturity scan as the starting point for their journey.
The client was already working with multiple data partners, primarily on operational tasks. However, there was a lack of overarching strategic vision – a situation made more complex by organisational silos. As a result, overall data maturity remained low.
The marketing team strongly believed in the value of data-driven working but struggled with defining the right steps and understanding their logical order.
Approach
Working closely with the client, we conducted interviews with eight key stakeholders across the various marketing disciplines. These included both teams that were already data-driven and those for whom data played little to no role. This gave us a broad perspective on the organisation’s data landscape.
In the interviews, we explored the components of our data strategy model. Using the insights gathered from open-ended questions, we assessed the organisation’s level of data maturity per component, based on a five-point scale: from Unaware (1) to Optimised (5).
The client received a report from us providing insight into the organisation’s data maturity, including scores per component of the data strategy model. We concluded the report with ten concrete recommendations, aligned with the data strategy model and prioritised accordingly.
Result
The report highlighted a number of key issues. There was a heavy emphasis on sales, with performance measured almost exclusively through bottom-of-the-funnel metrics such as Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and Return on Investment (ROI). However, the client lacked insight into the broader customer journey, leaving them unsure about how to improve sales performance or where to make adjustments when results were below expectations.
We also found that communication between the different marketing disciplines was limited, with insufficient collaboration or knowledge-sharing.
Among other recommendations, we advised breaking down silos and initiating internal discussions around the organisation’s data ambition: what role should data-driven working play, and how does it contribute to business objectives? The first step towards building internal support is creating data awareness – starting with a clear focus from leadership and senior management.
From there, we encouraged the organisation to identify which use cases support their goals and define the actions needed to bring these to life.
Future
By engaging stakeholders in the conversation about data, we sparked interest and uncovered valuable ideas. In practice, the data maturity scan often acts as a catalyst for internal buy-in.
The stakeholders expressed a desire to better understand the possibilities and build their data knowledge. Going forward, our Data & Analytics team will support them in turning data into meaningful insights and practical actions.
Want to know more?
René will be happy to talk to you about what we can do for you and your organisation as a data partner.
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