Establish the Target Operating Model Needed to Execute Your Data Strategy

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In the age of AI, a tailored data strategy is essential 鈥� but without the right operating model, even the best strategy will stall. Because data is owned and used by the entire organization, Data leaders must understand and engage with their organization鈥檚 internal dynamics and key stakeholders to ensure their operating model is unique to their needs and effective. Our comprehensive framework will support that relational approach to enable an effective, value-driven data strategy.

Your data, the systems that support it, and the way it drives outcomes each require tailored approaches from different stakeholders 鈥� not one-size-fits-all frameworks that inevitably miss the mark. Data leaders must co-design a target operating model in partnership with those stakeholders 鈥� one that aligns decisions with those who own the outcomes, secures executive funding, and can stay agile in the face of constant change.

1. Check yourself.

Though IT leaders can feel like they are plugged into their organizations, in practice they often over rely on passive communication and siloed execution. Check in on your partners and stakeholders to ensure everyone is working together on the right things.

2. Don鈥檛 lose sight of context.

Many IT leaders fall back on leveraging generic frameworks that emphasize capability maturity, but without relating your target operating model to desired organizational outcomes, momentum can stall and what you build may not be what you need. Be sure to actively work to understand the context around your target operating model.

3. Simplify, simplify.

The process of developing your target operating model is just as critical as the model itself. Ensure your communication with stakeholders and partners is as simple as possible to ensure your operating model has the sustainable and agile foundations it needs to drive desired outcomes.

Use this step-by-step blueprint to engage with stakeholders to build a fit-for-purpose target operating model

Our research provides the templates, workbooks, and guides to navigate the dynamics of data operating model design. Follow this step-by-step framework to unite stakeholders in co-creating a target operating model that drives a data strategy unique to your organization.

Deconstruct and assess capabilities vs. outcomes to visualize a target operating model, link its capabilities to strategic outcomes, and identify gaps to close.
Draft your roadmap and plan your engagement strategy to define your service imperatives and scope of accountabilities and build an actionable roadmap to achieve them.
Design the operating model with your strategy鈥檚 co-owners to ensure the model, key operational shifts, and RAID log are stakeholder-aligned.
Communicate and secure endorsement for next steps to ensure executive buy-in for your target operating model and key operational shifts.

Establish the Target Operating Model Needed to Execute Your Data Strategy 91制片厂 & Tools

1. Establish the Target Operating Model Needed to Execute Your Data Strategy Deck 鈥� A comprehensive framework that will plot out your approach to building a fit-for-purpose operating model.

Use this relationship-based blueprint to build an operating model that will deliver a unique, value-driven data strategy.

Understand the challenges, obstacles, and recommended approaches to establishing your target data operating model.
Encounter actionable insights to inform your approach to building your model.
Benefit from multi-stage guidance on negotiating with stakeholders to co-design the right model for your organization.

2. Data Capabilities Assessment 鈥� A methodical tool to assess your current and target data capability levels.

Use this tool to pinpoint the gaps between your current and target state.

Conduct a line-by-line review of your data capabilities and needs.
Deliver a detailed analysis of your capability gaps.
Obtain detailed, scored reports to identify and prioritize action areas.

3. Data Operating Model and Program Roadmap C-Suite Presentation Template 鈥� A customizable slide deck to document and articulate your plan.

Use this executive-facing presentation template to secure buy-in with a clear, outcome-linked narrative.

Clearly express every step of your target operating model and data program plan.
Relate your plan to your organization鈥檚 ultimate data strategy and outline its value delivery.
Outline key asks and next steps to keep the process moving.

4. Target Operating Model Conversation Guide 鈥� A customizable guide to tailor your communications with each co-owner of your target operating model.

Use this conversation guide to navigate high-stakes stakeholder negotiations with clarity and confidence.

Choose from one of three context-specific conversation templates.
Prioritize and build an agenda for each conversation.
Include customizable visuals for individual stakeholders.

5. Target Operating Model Workbook 鈥� A comprehensive tool to define your organization鈥檚 optimal data operating model.

Use this workbook to capture all decisions, accountabilities, and shifts in a visual, actionable format.

Define the relationship between critical data capabilities and your strategic data initiatives.
Plan conversations with key stakeholders based on their relationship to your strategic objectives.
Generate a summarized, visual representation of the shifts required to realize your operating model.

Member Testimonials

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.

9.8/10

Overall Impact

$36,899

Average $ Saved

Average Days Saved

Client

Experience

Impact

$ Saved

Days Saved

Testimonial

Rocky View County

Guided Implementation

10/10

$50,000

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Guided Implementation

10/10

$2,000

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Guided Implementation

10/10

$5,000

Having reference material to build from that has all the research and analysis pre-done and vetted

Soci茅t茅 des Mines d鈥橧TY S.A.

Guided Implementation

9/10

$32,499

good approach

Chief Industries, Inc.

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

Rajesh helped us towards a decision.

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Workshop

10/10

$95,000

Best part of the experience is being obtaining tangible steps, techniques and processes to work on in the next 2 years to mature our data managemen... Read More

PRIDE Industries

Workshop

10/10

$68,500

120

Igor was extremely knowledgeable, disciplined and pleasant to work with and lead our workshop! The outcome and expectations of the workshop were f... Read More

TCU Financial Group

Workshop

10/10

$25,000

The workshop materials were well organized and easy to follow. The instructor was excellent. He is very knowledgeable and he did a great job in kee... Read More

Inmarsat Solutions Canada

Workshop

8/10

$1M

N/A

City of Oakville, ON

Workshop

8/10

N/A

Content and templates are useful. Presenters were excellent. Final report complete.

WINGS FINANCIAL ADVISORS, LLC

Guided Implementation

10/10

$34,000

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Data Management

At the end of this course, you will be able to design a data management practice that will allow your organization to use data as a strategic enabler.

Course Modules: 4
Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Now Playing:
Academy: Data Management | Introduction

An active membership is required to access Info-Tech Academy

Engineer a model that is co-owned, co-designed, and strategically aligned.

About Info-Tech

91制片厂 is the world鈥檚 fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

You Get:

Data Capabilities Assessment
Operating Model and Program Roadmap C-Suite Presentation Template
Target Operating Model Conversation Guide
Data Target Operating Model Workbook

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 9 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1:

Call 1: Scope requirements, objectives, and your specific challenges.
Call 2: Understand critical dynamics and visualize your current operating model.
Call 3: Map capabilities to strategic data initiative and outcomes.

Guided Implementation 2:

Call 1: Define 鈥渨hat must be true鈥� to operationalize each data initiative.
Call 2: Map out what you control.

Guided Implementation 3:

Call 1: Define the conversations that must take place with co-owners of your strategic data operating model.
Call 2: Debrief on conversations and rationalize feedback into your data operating model.

Guided Implementation 4:

Call 1: Prepare to communicate the operating model to an executive audience.
Call 2: Summarize results and plan next steps.

Authors

Nysa Zaran

Steve Willis

Contributors

Patricia Lawrence, General Manager, Data Architecture, Duquesne Light
Chris Pailma, Chief Data Officer, Los Angeles County
Justin Robinson, President, Leadbetter Foods and Beechgrove Country Foods
Rashmi Radhakrishnan, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Technology & Innovation/CIO Arcadia University
Ali Khan, Chief Data Officer, Finastra
Swadesh Misra, Lead Architect, Aletha Corp
Amit Jain, Data Platform, R&D, Coveo
Catherine Yoshida, Manager, Data Governance and Data Architecture, Teranet Inc