Getting to true data maturity isn’t easy. Most organizations hit the same walls over and over, slowing progress and limiting real business impact.
MMA Global’s Data Maturity Framework 2.0 research reveals exactly what’s holding marketers back—and why these obstacles keep showing up.
Everyone’s Moving Too Slowly
Here’s the uncomfortable reality: despite everyone talking about how important data is, actual progress toward data maturity crawls along at a snail’s pace across industries. Many companies are still in the early stages of figuring out their data vision, let alone connecting it to real business goals.
Source: https://www.mmaglobal.com/files/documents/2023_mma_data_maturity_webinar_final59.pdf, p. 14
Fix Your Foundation: Getting Data You Can Actually Use
If your data isn’t available or reliable, nothing else matters. Here’s how to get it right:
Go All-In on First-Party Data The shift toward first-party data is accelerating because companies finally recognize what they’re missing—data they actually own. Invest in breaking down access barriers so you can use these valuable assets. Data Leaders are way ahead here, working with complete, deep consumer data that drives sophisticated decisions.
Make Data Quality Non-Negotiable Processes are improving, but we need more to build real trust in data quality. Stop relying just on sales and ad exposure data—expand your breadth, depth, and quality across the board.
Break Down Your Data Silos
Fragmented data kills your ability to see the complete customer picture:
Build Real Integration Strategies Progress on data integration remains painfully slow, preventing organizations from centralizing data and making it accessible company-wide. You need solid integration strategies that actually break down silos and create a unified view of customers and operations.
Invest in Identity and CDPs Data Leaders dominate in identity management and Customer Data Platforms. These aren’t nice-to-haves—they’re essential for effective integration and centralized customer data management. Time to accelerate your investment here.
Level Up Your Analytics Game
Having data means nothing if you can’t extract insights and make smart decisions:
Beef Up Your Analytics Resources Companies know they need more capabilities to leverage data insights—so invest in advanced analytics tools, talent, and resources. Access has improved, but gaps still block value realization. Analytics focus is growing, but resources need to catch up.
Standardize Your Measurement Multi-Touch Attribution and Randomized Controlled Trials are widely used, but validation and alignment across studies remain messy. We need standardized approaches for better accuracy and comparability. Marketers are planning bigger investments in measurement and attribution to fix this and build confidence.
Get Ready for Life Without Cookies Cookie deprecation is coming. Marketers need to move faster on alternative solutions and adapt how they collect and track data. No more waiting.
Leadership and Culture Matter More Than You Think
Real data maturity requires strong leadership and a culture that genuinely values data:
Clarify Your Data Vision Now Accelerate crafting a clear data vision that aligns tightly with business objectives. Data Leaders stand out because they have this figured out—strong vision, tight alignment between data strategy and business goals.
Embrace Transformative Leadership Leadership gets that data readiness matters, but organizational change drags. Drive data maturity by fostering agility and embracing transformative leadership. Ideally, multiple C-level leaders should jointly own data strategy and roadmap for comprehensive alignment.
Make Governance and Security Priority One Proactive risk management, governance, transparency, and data security build consumer trust and mitigate risks. Establish robust governance frameworks, promote transparency in how you use data, and strengthen security to protect sensitive information. Data Leaders are already doing this proactively.
Ready to see where you stand? Take the assessment: https://www.mmaglobal.com/data-maturity-assessment
Level up with us: https://bit.ly/MMAIndonesiaThoughtLeadershipPrograms
