Data Audit
The starting point for all measures and actions relating to data
The data audit gives both data managers from data, BI and marketing as well as top management an overview of what data is actually available in the company. This also includes how they are used and which departments interact with them and how.
This is the basis for all measures and actions relating to data; after all, these should contribute to corporate goals and generate higher sales and profits in the long term.
Why do companies need a data audit?
Transparency about data maturity
Evaluating data maturity in a company is challenging because comparisons are difficult. The data audit provides objective insight, identifies discrepancies and derives concrete steps for further development. This fact-based analysis adapts the maturation process to the individual needs of the company.
Transparency about technical maturity
The market is full of technical software, tools and products that are intended to simplify or improve working with data. But what is actually necessary and is the tool stack that is currently being used the right one anyway? Does it fit the company's maturity level? The data audit also reveals strengths and weaknesses here.
Transparency about organizational maturity
Data departments have grown historically — from IT, BI, or based on the first data hire. As a result, processes and communication have also grown historically. The data audit provides clues as to where the company is organisationally related to data, which low-hanging fruits exist and with which quick wins the organization data can be improved.
Inclusion of your requirements and wishes
Every company is different! This is one of the reasons why we do not carry out the data audit with a ready-made blueprint, but address both the individual characteristics of the company and the requirements and wishes. This includes identifying white spots that can offer advantages on the market.
This is how we proceed with a data audit
From evaluating stakeholders to individualization and recommendations for action — a data audit provides a clear view of the company's weak points and how they can be remedied.
Evaluate
The first step of the data audit is to evaluate which key stakeholders there are for the topic of data in the company. This includes not only individual positions, but also specialist departments and data or BI department.
The overview has usually been lost due to the historical growth of the data topic — which represents a fairly normal development. However, in order to be able to make data-driven decisions in the long term, this overview is essential in order to be able to involve the right stakeholders and units in the next steps following the data audit.
specify
Every company is different — and is positioned differently, especially in the data sector. Because there were few best practices at the start of data growth in companies, each company started building data, collecting and bringing data together in a different place.
In this step, the framework with which the data audit is carried out is adapted to the goals of the respective company — in order to be able to carry out an individual and sustainably effective data audit.
Perform
Now we come to the core of the data audit! This consists of creating a data profile, reviewing existing systems and channels, uncovering silos, and analyzing the company's state of data. This includes the quality of the data and its use.
To do this, we conduct interviews with stakeholders, interview employees and create various diagrams and tables to visualize the company's data flow.
validate
The results that we have collected are now finally validated with key stakeholders. This step usually results in exciting insights again — both for us and key stakeholders — and weaknesses in processes and communication are revealed, because: Many processes involving data are based only on “hearsay.” This step also enables the company to optimize data processes across departments.
Presenting
In the last step of the data audit, the results are presented to top management. From these results, we derive recommendations for action and next steps, which we recommend and which can improve the handling of data.
On this basis, it is possible for the company to take the next steps towards a data-driven company, break down silos and enable specialist departments to achieve better results by supporting data.
Data audit in our framework
We always work with the organization, culture and architecture framework. Because in our opinion, these 3 areas are the most important factors for successfully anchoring data in the company in the long term. During our audits, we look at exactly these areas.
This gives companies that book a data audit with us an overview of:
- The structure of their Data organization from processes to the areas of the company in which data is collected and processed, but also the people who have access and ownership of various data
- The state of their Data culture and the maturity level of your own data literacy
- Data architecture and initial recommendations for actions and insights into their tool stack
The Data Institute — the strong partner for data audit
We want companies to quickly get an impact and see what they can do with data. At the same time, we have an overall view of the company and would like to take a long-term view strategies implement, which enables employees to work with data independently.
What is a data audit anyway?
A data audit provides an objective view of data in your own company. In a systematic process, we examine the use and flow of data, evaluate stakeholders, check whether everything is running in accordance with data protection guidelines and identify gaps and weaknesses in the entire data life cycle.
This also includes taking a look at the tools used and finding out whether they are being used efficiently and where there is potential savings for the company. The results of the audit are use cases, which the company can then tackle either alone or with our support in order to take the next steps towards a data-driven company.
Who needs a data audit?
A data audit helps to obtain an objective view of the current status of the company. This is not only suitable for companies that already collect and work with a lot of data as a result of their marketing or sales activities, but also for companies that are not obviously data-driven.
If you also don't know which next steps make sense in your company and you want to know about weak points, but also strengths and white spots, then the data audit is a good basis for continuing work.
At The Data Institute, we support various companies from start-ups to corporations in the areas of media, logistics, finances, as well as ecommerce.
Who is involved in a data audit?
The data audit by The Data Institute is based, among other things, on surveys within the company in order not only to get management's attention, but also to collect knowledge about what best practices are used by the executors.
In addition to the associated data departments (e.g. data analysts, data managers and data scientists), we work closely with the Chief Data Officer or Head of Data, but also with other department and executives, e.g. from marketing, sales or production.
What services can be combined withData Audit?
Case studies on the subjectData Audit
You can find suitable examples of our work on this topic in the following case studies:
Knowledge zum ThemaData Audit
Neben Case Studies haben wir auch verschiedene weiterführende Blog Artikel zu dem Thema:
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