Why Time To Value Matters in Data Projects

Insights
November 25, 2024

Business leaders like yourself are constantly tasked with steering their organisations toward sustainable growth and success in an increasingly data-driven environment. Business Intelligence (BI) and analytics projects are often at the forefront of these efforts, helping organisations derive valuable insights from their vast amounts of data. However, the true potential of these projects can only be realised if they deliver value quickly.

In this article, we explore the role of early value delivery in the success of data implementations. Drawing lessons from our work with Unitrans, we discuss how focusing on delivering quick, tangible results can help secure stakeholder buy-in, maintain project momentum, and set the stage for long-term success. Whether your business is beginning its BI journey or looking to refine its strategy, understanding the importance of early wins is key to maximising the value of your BI investment.

Why Early Wins Matter in BI and Data Analytics Implementation

In BI and data analytics initiatives, demonstrating early value is not only a measure of success but is also critical for maintaining momentum and securing ongoing investment. Many data projects fail because they become hindered by complex architecture, slow implementation, or a lack of visible results in the early stages. According to industry reports, approximately 60% of data projects fail due to the inability to show value early on, leading to a loss of stakeholder interest and confidence. Some of the key benefits of early wins in BI and data analytics implementation projects include:

Gaining stakeholder buy-in: Early successes are key to building stakeholder confidence. When you show the practical benefits of data-driven decision-making, it’s much easier to secure ongoing support and funding.
Building momentum: Quick results keep teams motivated and inspire further innovation. When people see the positive impact of their work, they’re more likely to push forward with even more complex analytics.
Reducing risk: Early wins also act as proof of concept. When users see the immediate value of BI tools, they’re more likely to embrace them. This is key to creating a data-driven culture where employees regularly use data to guide decisions.

Strategies for Ensuring Early Value in Data Projects

The approach Cyberlogic DataGeek takes to ensure early value in BI and data projects is rooted in years of experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to make data work to achieve business outcomes. The methods are designed to help clients deliver quick wins, maintain flexibility, and lay the foundation for scalable, long-term success. Here are some strategies we employ to achieve early value for our clients:

Start with Business Value, Not Tools or Technology
One common mistake in BI projects is focusing too much on technology. Instead, begin by identifying the business problem you want to solve. This keeps the project aligned with real goals and helps avoid wasted effort. Once a business case is clear, determine the key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success. This focus on delivering business value first, rather than getting caught up in the technical details, will help maintain momentum and demonstrate results quickly.
Use a Proof of Concept (PoC)
Don’t try to solve every data challenge at once. Start small. For example, you might analyse data from one department, such as sales or finance. By showcasing definitive success in one area, it’s much easier to gain buy-in for more significant initiatives later. Once the PoC demonstrates value, securing further investment and scaling data initiatives across the organisation becomes more straightforward.
Balance Data Governance with Speed
Data governance ensures quality, but too much, too early, can slow things down. It’s essential to strike the right balance by adopting a risk-based approach to governance. Focus on critical data first and gradually increase governance as needed. This way, you keep things moving without sacrificing accuracy.
Build Reusable Technical Patterns, Not Point Solutions
When developing data solutions, it’s important to build with the future in mind. Instead of creating once-off solutions, focus on building technical patterns — reusable building blocks that can be applied to future projects. This speeds up the development cycle and ensures data solutions are scalable and adaptable to changing business needs.
Focus on Incremental Data Loads to Improve Speed and Frequency
As BI initiatives evolve, the frequency with which users request data refreshes will likely increase. What starts as monthly reporting may soon turn into daily or even real-time data needs. To meet this demand, focus on incremental data loads, loading only the changes in data since the last refresh rather than reprocessing the entire data set each time. This approach reduces the time and resources needed for data refreshes and ensures users have access up-to-date information without long delays.

How Unitrans Unlocked Value Quickly with Cyberlogic DataGeek

One key example of delivering early value can be seen in the partnership with our client, Unitrans, a leader in supply chain and logistics. Like many organisations in data-intensive industries, Unitrans generates vast amounts of data from multiple sources, including vehicle telemetry, driver monitoring systems, warehouse management software, and even drones for agricultural monitoring. However, despite having an abundance of information, they struggled to make the data actionable and usable for decision-making.

Unlocking value for Unitrans began with identifying specific business challenges to be addressed through data. By partnering with Cyberlogic DataGeek, Unitrans created a centralised data platform that enforced data consistency, quality, and governance. Rather than overhauling its entire data infrastructure at once, Unitrans focused on creating a proof of value — a small-scale solution demonstrating the business benefits of its BI tools.

By simplifying the data interface and ensuring insights were clear and actionable, Unitrans engaged users from all levels of the company. This helped create a data-driven culture, where employees were empowered to use data in their daily decision-making. As a result, user adoption was high, and tangible improvements in operational efficiency, decision-making speed, and overall business performance were evidenced.

If you want to learn more about how to transform your data challenges into opportunities, watch our Data Demystified: A Roadmap to Data Success on-demand webinar featuring actionable insights from Cyberlogic DataGeek’s Business Intelligence experts, Ian van Niekerk, Head Data Architect, and Thinus van Rooyen, Principal Data Architect, as well as real-world insights from Alex Black, Data Solutions Engineer at Unitrans

Early Value as a Catalyst for Long-Term Success

In any BI or data analytics project, showing value early is critical to ensuring long-term success. Focusing on quick wins, building scalable solutions, and maintaining a balance between speed and governance can significantly increase the likelihood of a project’s success. As demonstrated by Unitrans, a targeted, incremental approach delivers immediate business benefits and lays the foundation for sustained growth and innovation.

Prioritising early value delivery is essential for organisations embarking on their BI journeys. By solving specific business problems first, ensuring transparency and communication with stakeholders, and using scalable technical patterns, you can unlock the full potential of your data assets and drive the business forward.

At Cyberlogic DataGeek, our team of experienced data experts is ready to help your organisation unlock the value hidden in your data. Whether you’re just starting your BI journey or looking to enhance your existing data capabilities, we can guide you toward faster time to value. Contact us at hello@cyberlogic.co.za to see how we can help you transform your data into actionable insights.