Where are you on the data journey?

Posted on 22nd January 2025

Written by Dave Horton, Managing Consultant, Triad Group Plc

Data. Where would we be without it? Data is, after all, the backbone of every organisation. As we continue to build and enhance technology for operational tasks, our need for data is only going to increase. In this blog I will show you how to map where your organisation is on its data journey. But first, let me explain why managing data isn’t a new challenge for any of us.

Data management in the UK’s public sector

The UK’s Data.gov.uk open data portal was launched in 2010 to facilitate data sharing between government departments and the public. It remains the cornerstone of the UK’s open data initiatives, however ensuring data quality and consistency across organisation remains a challenge. In 2019, the National Audit Office reported that:

Data is not seen as a priority within the government.
The importance of investing in quality data needs to be better understood.
There is a culture of tolerating and working around poor-quality data.

Since then, we have seen a series of government initiatives designed to encourage a different approach to data. But as AI feeds our thirst for data, I wonder whether we have a larger data mountain to climb now than we did back in 2010.

The Digital Decarbonisation organisation estimates that up to 65% of data generated is never used, and up to 15% needs to be updated. Shockingly, they predict that the data industry will account for more carbon emissions than the automation and aviation sectors combined.

The challenges faced by the public sector are not unique. Most organisations need to pay more attention to the true value that data management brings. It’s too easy to pursue a digital-first, data-second strategy.

A digital-first strategy risks constraining how to get the most from data and often results in data duplication, inconsistencies and data quality issues. It’s less efficient and more costly than creating a considered digital and data approach.

How much could poor data management cost your business?

In 1998, the costs associated with dealing with data quality issues were estimated at 8-12% of an organisation’s revenue. Two decades later, that estimate has increased to anywhere from 10-30%. In monetary terms, Gartner estimates that poor data quality, costs organisations an average of £10m annually. However, it can cost much more.

In 2022, Unity Software reported a revenue loss of $110m. The cause was ingesting bad customer data into its machine-learning algorithms. The company acknowledged it would take six months to fix the problem, and its stock dropped 37%.

Even the smallest data issues can be costly. In 2023, thousands of UK flights were cancelled or delayed. Two identically named but separate waypoint markers caused air traffic control systems to enter a fail-safe mode, causing a deadlock. This extremely rare event is estimated to have cost airlines up to £100m.

Where are you on the data journey?

The National Data Strategy and the associated Government Data Quality framework are comprehensive—97 questions, 10 topics, and 6 themes—and useful tools.

In my experience, most organisations will score between 2 (emerging) and 3 (learning) maturity levels. And rarely are they surprised when they do.

Is your data management strategy holding you back?

At Triad Group Plc, we help organisations incorporate new ways of working with data that increase their level of data maturity through data governance and data management. With the right support, they can move from strategic theory to sustainable data practice while nurturing their internal data skills and avoiding wasteful mistakes.

Good data governance is more than following frameworks and having well-defined rules. It is about leading organisations through the cultural change required for improved data management, data safety and ethical use. It is difficult and complex. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. The data suggests they are not.