We have helped numerous organisations kickstart their data product journey, and we’ve seen the same pattern play out: a smart team, a promising use case, maybe even a shiny new platform…and then? Bottlenecks, friction, and internal resistance that slowly kill momentum.
The good news? It’s preventable. And it starts with structure.
The 7 tools you need before you build anything
We’ve pulled together a full business buy-in starter kit, used in real customer projects across different industries, including manufacturing, biotech, retail, logistics, and public services. It’s the same framework we use in executive workshops and transformation programmes.
Here’s what’s included:
- Before starting checklist: Make sure you’re solving the right problem, at the right time, with the right support and have everything ready to start your initiative.
- Myth buster card: Anticipate the objections you’ll face (when going the Data Product’s route) and bust them before they block you.
- Data business case card: Communicate clearly and concisely which use cases this initiative will deliver, and why they matter.
- Data product opportunity canvas: When going the Data Product’s route, frame your data products in terms of business value, user desirability, and technical feasibility.
- Roadmap template: Translate vision into milestones. No vague timelines, just practical next steps that everyone can understand.
- ROI calculation sheet: Quantify the cost of doing nothing. We talked about this one at length in the post “Why the ROI conversation is killing your data initiative”.
- Before submission checklist: A final quality gate to avoid wasting credibility on half-baked plans, you will likely only get one chance to sell/justify the initiative.
Why it works
Too many teams wait until they’re already under pressure to “explain the value” or “clarify the roadmap”. By then, the resistance has already built up.
This kit helps you prevent internal friction, so you don’t just build faster, you build with alignment from day one and have the enthusiasm of those around you and waiting for it to be ready!
It’s not about slowing down. It’s about starting smarter.
Start with confidence
If you’ve got a use case and momentum is building, don’t go into your next stakeholder meeting empty-handed. Download the full starter kit.
It’s everything you need to go from “good idea” to “funded and underway”.
For a thorough walkthrough, check out our Deep Dive on “How to get business buy-in”.