FORCE is a data-strategy methodology built on timeless principles rather than current technology: it defines what must be true for data to work in an organization, whatever tools the era provides. It is not an implementation plan.

What are the five pillars of data strategy?

The five pillars of a data strategy, as FORCE defines them, are Foundation, Observation, Resilience, Competence and Expansion — the timeless capabilities a successful implementation is built on.

If FORCE was a book about electric motors, it would not focus on the latest technology developments in the area. It would not have diagrams and plans on how to build the latest Tesla motor in your garage. Instead, it would focus on the fundamental laws of magnetism, electricity and circuits. By grasping these principles, you could not only build a basic motor but also comprehend the intricacies of the most advanced engines. FORCE treats data strategy the same way:

  • Foundation: The bedrock of a successful data strategy, ensuring all organizational goals and technologies are aligned and set to support your data initiatives.
  • Observation: The means through which we gather insights from our data, using analytics to discover patterns and opportunities.
  • Resilience: The ability of our strategy to adapt and withstand challenges, ensuring data integrity and availability through unforeseen circumstances.
  • Competence: The operational excellence achieved by refining our skills and processes, applying insights to drive innovation and efficiency.
  • Expansion: The exploration of new horizons, leveraging our data mastery to foster growth and secure a competitive edge.

These five pillars are timeless concepts that will function as the building blocks for a successful data strategy.

The FORCE Journey

The pillars matter individually, but they work as one system. “The FORCE Journey” connects them into a single narrative.

Foundation : Laying the Groundwork

Our journey begins with the Foundation, the bedrock upon which all successful data strategies are built. Here, we explore the essential elements of a solid data foundation, from aligning organizational goals to ensuring technology and processes are in place to support your data initiatives. Think of the Foundation as preparing the soil for a bountiful harvest; it’s about setting the stage for success.

Observation : Sharpening Your Vision

With a strong foundation in place, we turn our gaze outward, employing Observation to gather insights and intelligence from our data. This is where we learn to listen to what our data is telling us, using analytics to uncover trends, patterns, and opportunities. Observation is the telescope through which we view the vast universe of data, turning information into actionable insights.

Resilience : Building something solid for the Long Haul

As we navigate the data landscape, challenges and disruptions are inevitable. This is where Resilience comes into play, ensuring our data strategy can withstand and adapt to any storms on the horizon. From creating anti-fragile systems to embracing backups and high availability, Resilience is about preparing for the unexpected, ensuring continuity and security in our data journey.

Competence : Achieving Excellence

The heart of our journey lies in Competence, where we refine our skills, processes, and technologies to achieve operational excellence. This is where we put our insights into action, leveraging workflow automation, lean principles, and cross-functional collaboration to streamline operations and drive innovation. Competence is about mastering the art and science of data strategy, turning potential into performance.

Expansion : Expanding Horizons

Our journey culminates with Expansion, where we look to the future, exploring new frontiers and opportunities for growth. From identifying market trends to leveraging advanced analytics and AI, Expansion is about thinking big and bold, using our data mastery to innovate, differentiate, and lead. It’s about turning data into a strategic asset that propels us forward into new realms of possibility.

Theory and Implementation

These are the five pillars. You should, however, note that how you implement them is not timeless.

For example, the concept of a Single Source of Truth (SSOT) can be implemented in different ways. In the past, some businesses had a paper “master book”, this evolved later to be a database, and more recently we’ve been seeing implementations of things such as data lakes, data warehouses, or data meshes with the same purpose. Those are just ways to reach that same goal. Different designs following the laws defined by the same timeless concept.

However, I want this book to be also practical, and for that reason, I’ve added Part II and Part III. If Part I explains FORCE as the building blocks, Part II and Part III describe some of the most successful designs at this moment to implement them.