Establishing the Lean CDP stage – Ensuring sustainable value and growth
With your initial use cases running successfully and your organization witnessing the tangible value of a Customer Data Platform (CDP), you may feel that the project has reached a significant milestone. However, a CDP initiative is not a one-time project but an ongoing journey, evolving with new data flows, emerging business needs, and continuous opportunities for value creation.
The Lean CDP stage is designed to help organizations generate, prioritize, and manage new use cases while avoiding data overload or what we sometimes refer to as “data chaos.” Here’s how to maintain control and clarity as your CDP expands, through a streamlined, organized process that keeps stakeholders informed, engaged, and aligned.
Setting up for success: A Lean process framework
In our organization, we handle new use cases with a lean process involving three key stages: Concept, Implementation, and Reporting. Each stage involves specific teams with defined roles to ensure clarity and focus, with primary teams leading each stage and supporting teams providing essential information as needed.
- Idea gathering: Ideas for new use cases can arise from many sources. Whether they stem from previously brainstormed concepts, team suggestions, or feedback from stakeholders, all ideas are gathered and stored in a comprehensive backlog. We hold a quarterly brainstorming session with digital marketing and other key teams to spark fresh ideas and capture new insights. A monthly CDP newsletter also informs teams about CDP updates and new possibilities, inspiring further innovation.
- Weekly use case assessment: Each week, we evaluate backlog ideas to determine if data or resources have changed, moving concepts forward based on current feasibility. Ideas are categorized as “Idea,” “Candidate,” or “Use Case Ready” based on available resources, data, and their anticipated impact. When an idea advances to “Use Case Ready,” it moves to the next step in our framework.
- The CDP Canvas framework: To ensure every use case is well-defined and actionable, we utilize a customized framework called the CDP Canvas, available to the whole organization. The CDP Canvas includes essential information such as stakeholders (mapped with a RACI matrix), value propositions, data requirements, and measures of success. This document helps standardize the process, ensuring that all use cases are documented in a consistent, accessible way. Any stakeholder with questions can refer to the Canvas for full context on any use case.
Read more about the CDP Canvas framework here.
Moving through implementation and reporting stages
Every month, we convene with a Steering Committee (SC), which includes representatives from different teams. We present the status of the CDP and recommend new use cases based on CDP Canvas insights, allowing SC members to provide feedback or raise concerns. Once approved, the core team moves approved use cases to the implementation stage. For any cases that need clarification or additional data, the SC holds off on approval until the next meeting, ensuring only high-value use cases move forward.
With implementation, it’s crucial to align key stakeholders and stay true to the CDP Canvas documentation, allowing teams to focus on execution without deviations from the established plan.
After go-live, reporting becomes essential. As we’ve noted in the MVP Stage, accurate impact measurement—whether it’s potential or direct value—is key to understanding CDP’s contribution.
Lean CDP stage – success factors
The Lean CDP stage requires deliberate, disciplined effort to create sustainable growth without data overload. Here are six guiding principles for maintaining a lean and effective CDP:
1. Transparent communication
Keep your organization informed with a defined update format, like a Slack/Teams channel or monthly newsletter. Continuous updates inspire new ideas and keep stakeholders engaged.
2. Use case-based approach
Adopt a method for prioritizing and handling use cases that fits your organization’s unique needs and growth trajectory.
3. Regular reporting and results
Show results—good or bad—to maintain transparency. This fosters trust and encourages a problem-solving mindset.
4. Define impact measurement
Establish clear metrics for measuring the success of each use case. This transparency drives accountability and helps refine the CDP’s ongoing value.
5. Address customer data debt
A well-built CDP can address “customer data debt”—the backlog of fragmented customer data across systems. Take advantage of your CDP to unify these touchpoints for a clear, actionable view of each customer.
6. Stick to lean principles
Avoid “data FOMO” by remaining selective about the data you integrate. Be strict, integrating only what is necessary to support defined goals and use cases.
Wrapping up the journey
The Lean CDP stage is the point where continuous improvement becomes the project’s cornerstone. By establishing efficient workflows, prioritizing high-impact use cases, and fostering organization-wide transparency, your CDP initiative can evolve into a valuable, long-term asset for your organization.
Thank you for following along in this series! May your own CDP journey be as rewarding and insightful as ours has been.