Real Data Strategy starts with Why?

Most organisations today are thinking about data strategy. But for many, it still gets tangled in tech decisions, tool debates and dashboards that don't quite deliver.

The truth? Strategy doesn't start with a platform, a tool or a dashboard, it starts with people asking 'why?'. 

1. Why are we collecting this data? To be clear on the decisions it supports - not just the information it stores.

2. Why do people trust our reports? Because they tell a story everyone understands - not just a number everyone quotes.

3. Why does everyone share the same version of the truth? Because we've taken the time to align on meaning before measurement.

4. Why are we building dashboards? Because we know what questions they're here to answer.

5. Why does governance give us confidence? Because it creates consistency, not control - clarity, not constraint.

6. Why are people empowered to explore data? Because we give them the tools and trust to solve problems close to where they happen.

7. Why does our strategy come to life every day? Because it's lived through habits, not hidden in documents.

8. Why does data quality stay high? Because we've built feedback loops that make improvement continuous.

9. Why does capability keep growing? Because we focus on curiosity as much as competence.

10. Why do we keep improving as a team? Because reflection is part of the process - not an afterthought.

When you start with 'why' data has purpose, not just presence. Reports build trust, not confusion. Governance gives freedom, not friction. Strategy lives in people, not PDFs. Curiosity keeps the whole system moving.

Asking why isn’t the slow part - it’s the shortcut to getting it right. That’s the real work of data strategy: connecting what we do to why it matters.