MD 7257a-18 Data Strategy White Paper
MD 7257a-18 Data Strategy White Paper
MD 7257a-18 Data Strategy White Paper
Defining a
data strategy
An essential component of your
digital transformation journey
White Paper
Table of contents
All organizations engage with, operate on and leverage
The data strategy vision 2
data every day across a variety of business functions. Those
Data strategy defined 3 organizations that take a holistic approach to adopting an
Four common drivers 3 enterprise-grade data strategy are able to optimize their
Eight components of a technology investments and lower their costs.
winning data strategy 4
Organizations that want a smooth transition to becoming data
Implementing, driven need a plan for advancing their digital transformation
maintaining and
journey and treating data as a corporate asset. Creating a
evolving 7
data strategy is the first step toward defining and enabling
A holistic approach 8
such a plan.
A data strategy ensures that all data initiatives follow a common method and
structure that is repeatable. This uniformity enables efficient communication
throughout the enterprise for rationalizing and defining all solution designs that
leverage data in some manner.
Many organizations fail to prioritize defining a data strategy on the grounds that it’s
either a case of “boiling the ocean” or else an “infinity project” that will deliver little
value. In both cases, they’re incorrect. Creating a data strategy is both achievable
and valuable. It’s also an essential component of any organization’s digital
transformation journey.
Companies that embrace the constructs of a data strategy often define dedicated
roles to own these strategies and policies. This ranges from augmenting executive staff
and IT staff with roles such as chief data officer and chief data strategist, respectively,
to expanding the responsibilities of traditional enterprise data architects.
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• Definition of key metrics and success criteria across the enterprise. The
data strategy defines “success” and “quality,” thus reinforcing consistency
for how initiatives are measured, evaluated and tracked across all levels of
interacting organizations.
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Consume
insights
Access and Automate Distribute
collect data insight insights
Conform creation
and enrich
information
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3. Strategic principles • Change management: Methods and standards by which change across the
data strategy scope is introduced, evaluated, confirmed and conformed into the
4. Current-state documentation
iterative evolution and communication of the data strategy iterations. This includes
5. Governance model crowdsourcing contribution of edits, ideas and related communications from all
6. Data management guidance levels of the organization. Change management also defines how deviations and
exceptions to the strategy standards are identified, documented and handled.
7. Reference architecture
• Workflow guidance: Procedures and methods for defining and managing the
8. Sample and starter
data and solution life cycles, including operational and support-control handoffs.
solution library
• Organizational structures: Guidance on how human resources and
interactions should be defined, maintained and scaled within the scope of
data-related activities. This also includes proper skill set definitions for all
such resources.
• Data topics: Groupings of functionally related data that operate above the
data model level of table/columns or file content. (Note: Data governance
policies are often applied at the data topic level rather than to the raw data.)
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• Domain and function model: The listing and definitions for core groupings
of technical capabilities and their detailed definitions, including associated
interactions supporting full data life cycle and use/exploitation, from discovery
and experimentation to production-hardened operation.
• Prebuilt code and intellectual property (IP): Collateral that can be used for
automation or accelerators.
• Partner solution catalog: A listing of prebuilt services, APIs and packages that
are sourced from external vendors and partnerships.
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It is important to ensure that the first iterations of implementing the data strategy
are achievable and deliver measurable value before pursuing higher maturity goals.
Often, it is enough to start defining and implementing the data strategy across its
components, without driving any of them to their ultimate state of maturity. To gain
the greatest benefit, however, organizations should develop the following components
to a well-defined state as a prerequisite to most tactical implementations:
• Goals and vision must be identified and documented up front. One of the
simpler efforts, it is often neglected despite bringing the broadest consistency
and credibility. Many organizations misspend millions of dollars and countless
work hours developing solutions that are misaligned with their own core principles
and goals.
The ability to operate across hybrid legacy and new technologies — which in
turn can be deployed across on-premises, cloud and geographic instances — is
heavily dependent on proper reference architecture definitions from the start,
with vigilance toward continued innovation and evolution.
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Many other aspects of the data strategy are certainly important, and they can
be iterated as need and maturity dictate. But they typically follow a more organic
process, one that requires less up-front effort. Instead, these aspects typically
involve a harvesting effort in which previous iterations are turned into repeatable and
reusable guidance and collateral.
• Learn more about DXC Analytics and contact us about a data strategy and
architecture advisory effort, including review of your current efforts.
Organizations that adopt a holistic data strategy are able to manage the challenges
of adopting and adapting innovation efficiently into existing operations. Without a
holistic data strategy, organizations risk internal miscommunication and inefficient use
of data technology, delayed time to market and poor-quality solutions. Accelerate your
digital transformation and define your data strategy now.
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Learn more at
www.dxc.technology/
analytics
DXC Technology (DXC: NYSE) is the world’s leading independent, end-to-end IT services company, helping
clients harness the power of innovation to thrive on change. Created by the merger of CSC and the Enterprise
Services business of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, DXC Technology serves nearly 6,000 private and public
sector clients across 70 countries. The company’s technology independence, global talent and extensive
partner network combine to deliver powerful next-generation IT services and solutions. DXC Technology is
recognized among the best corporate citizens globally. For more information, visit www.dxc.technology.
www.dxc.technology © 2018 DXC Technology Company. All rights reserved. MD_7257a-18.January 2018