A data strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how an organisation will use data to achieve its objectives. This roadmap ensures that all the activities surrounging data management, from collection to collaboration, work together effectively and efficiently to be useful and easy to govern.

A data strategy is crucial for businesses to effectively leverage their data and achieve their objectives. A well-defined data strategy helps organizations make informed decisions, improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer experiences. Creating a data strategy without an alignment with organisation's strategic vision / priorities is like a ship without a navigator.

Data strategy consultants play a pivotal role in enhancing data management practices throughout an organisation. They devise strategies to break down data silos, promoting greater visibility, collaboration, and data integration. Additionally, they introduce advanced data capture techniques, including analytics and tracking, enabling companies to leverage big data for informed decision-making. Importantly, they ensure that these data initiatives are conducted in compliance with legal requirements while safeguarding data owner privacy.

Furthermore, data strategy experts work to shape a comprehensive data management vision that aligns seamlessly with the company's core business objectives. This vision encompasses the organisation, analysis, governance, and deployment of a company's data assets, ultimately providing a competitive advantage. They also establish frameworks and norms that foster a culture of data-driven innovation, fostering effective and sustainable data practices.

It works by aligning data governance policies, data models, and data stewardship roles and responsibilities with business goals, enabling organizations to maximize the value of their data.

Data Strategy focuses on how the organisation will use data to generate value. It answers the question of what the company will do with the data to be more successful.

Data Governance concerns itself with an effective framework for managing data policy and processes, data meaning, and relationships. It answers the question of how the company will oversee the data so it can serve its purposes more effectively.

Arguably, data strategy and data governance may seem to be two sides of the same coin. Strategy concerns itself with business objectives, but governance is required if the company is to fulfill that mission. Governance concerns itself with the people, processes, and technology; it applies a framework of rules, guidelines, and tools that enable a data strategy to be successful.

Data strategy consultants play a pivotal role in assisting companies in effectively managing and capitalizing on the vast volumes of data that are characteristic of modern business operations. They facilitate the transition towards data-driven processes across various organizational units, encompassing HR, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and product development. When engaged, data experts align and prioritize a company's data and analytics initiatives with its overarching business priorities and objectives. By establishing the right priorities, they guide companies in adopting digital-first practices that harness both structured and unstructured data to enhance their capabilities.

Data strategy consultants provide invaluable insights in the following key areas:

Enhancing Data Visibility and Accessibility: Big data experts enhance data visibility through the integration of analytics and data collection technologies such as smart sensors. They help establish technical standards that simplify access to both structured and unstructured data, creating clear data pathways that can seamlessly feed into data processing tools like business intelligence (BI) systems. This heightened data visibility and accessibility empower companies to identify and leverage data assets to achieve their goals.

Integrating Data Sources and Breaking Down Silos: Unstructured and isolated data holds limited commercial value. Data strategy consultants introduce systems and frameworks that integrate data sources, generating a valuable, multidimensional data stream. They also collaborate with companies to dismantle data silos, which obstruct data integration and monetization. Organizations working alongside data experts benefit from higher-quality data that, when processed, yields exceptional insights for business growth.

Streamlining Data Collection and Sharing: Data collection and sharing are critical activities that span an organisation. Data strategy specialists develop strategies that streamline these processes, making data collection and sharing accessible to individuals at all levels within the company. Through this optimized data capability, various company departments can operate harmoniously, using a shared data source to collaborate effectively. This streamlined approach to data collection and sharing empowers companies to embrace a more integrated approach to data utilization.

Defining Clear Guidelines and Objectives for Data Management: Data strategy specialists assist companies in crafting comprehensive data guidelines and objectives that address issues like data silos, data formats, data security, data sharing protocols, and data privacy. They facilitate an understanding of the implications associated with data-centric strategies and help establish the necessary structures to manage these strategies effectively. Moreover, data specialists advocate for stakeholder buy-in, both vertically and horizontally, to ensure broad adoption of the data strategy across the organisation.