The data value map: A framework for developing shared understanding on data initiatives

While organisations regularly claim that data is one of their most important assets, they regularly fail to articulate or fully leverage its value. This leads to impacts such as missed opportunities, a reactive nature to data issues, and poorly defined/failed data projects. Framing this problem as a lack of shared understanding and misalignment between data stakeholders, this paper documents the development of the Data Value Map, an artefact designed to remedy this disconnect. Following a Practitioner Design Science Research approach, the Data Value Map is currently in its fourth iteration and has been rigorously evaluated with: (i) 96 practitioners in the field, (ii) a 12-month case-study, (iii) feedback from six workshops, and (iv) a survey on the effectiveness of the framework. Developed over the course of 4 years the Data Value Map has demonstrated its ability to facilitate a shared understanding on data initiatives and is linked to the success of data projects with an estimated value over €40 million. While, the Data Value Map is itself a contribution to the body of knowledge, further contributions were made in the form of: insights on how to overcome barriers in developing a shared understanding, namely: a lack of an organisational mental model, (ii) lack of a shared language, and (iii) an over-emphasis on technology.