Treating Data as a Product

A critical challenge in data management and analytics goes beyond simply collecting or generating data; it is about ensuring that data is genuinely reusable. The core issue lies in how easily we can use the data assets we create.

This blog covers this challenge and explores the necessary shift in approach to overcome it.

The Challenge of Data Usability

Finding and grasping the correct data can be challenging. Frequently, even if the data is accessible, it may not be presented in a way that is easy to understand or work with. The real value of data might only become apparent when paired with specific but hard-to-find lookup data. This elusive quality can diminish trust in the data, and unless someone is in urgent need, they might not bother trying to reuse it.

Treating Data as a Product

Addressing these issues requires a fundamental shift in how we view data. Instead of seeing it as a mere byproduct of organizational systems, we should treat it as a product. It means considering its lifecycle - from design and development to testing, deployment, and ongoing refinement based on real-world feedback.

This approach encourages us to focus on making data user-friendly. The goal is to ensure that it not only meets the needs of its intended users but is also easy to understand and work with and valuable when integrated with other data sources.

In this framework, data goes through a structured process akin to any product development. It includes:

1. Design: Tailoring the data's structure and format for ease of use and comprehension.
2. Development: Building the data infrastructure and repositories.
3. Testing: Ensuring data quality and usability.
4. Deployment: Making the data accessible to end-users.
5. Improvement: Refining the data based on user feedback and changing requirements.

Power BI: A Tool for Realizing Data as a Product

Power BI is an excellent platform for implementing this data-as-a-product approach. It offers:

• Intuitive Data Modeling and Visualization: Making data easy to interpret and analyze.
• Robust Data Governance and Security: Ensuring data integrity and compliance.
• Comprehensive Toolkit: Supporting the entire data product development lifecycle.

By adopting a product-centric view of data, organizations can significantly enhance the effectiveness of their data reuse efforts. It requires a strategic approach to data asset development, focusing on usability, discoverability, understandability, and value. Power BI stands out as a powerful ally in this journey, providing the necessary tools and functionalities to create data products that are functional and valuable to their users.

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