The discovery phase of CDP implementation is a crucial step where you gather information, analyze requirements, and assess your organization’s readiness for implementing a Customer Data Platform. If we had to pick a phase that is the most important for a successful CDP implementation, it would be the discovery phase. The decisions taken in this phase will determine whether the implementation will go well or fall below expectations. We will go through the different activities you need to do to ensure a smooth discovery phase and subsequently a successful CDP implementation.
The discovery phase sets the foundation for a successful CDP implementation by gathering the necessary information, aligning stakeholders, and establishing clear objectives. It helps you identify any gaps or challenges upfront, enabling you to plan and execute the implementation more effectively.
Before you can get started on a CDP project, you need to get the buy-in from different departments in your organization. For that purpose, you should create a steering team for the CDP project. Let us take a look at the details next.
The first step in a CDP implementation project is to create the steering team. The team is responsible for the current state analysis, prioritizing the business use cases, creating business KPIs, overseeing the implementation of the CDP, as well as operating the CDP once implemented. A CDP does not restrict itself to a single department or a use case; it is used by multiple departments in a company ranging from marketing, insights, customer service, product analytics, and more. CDP affects all departments, including finance, so, it is crucial to have members from all the departments who are affected by the implementation of the CDP. We need to assemble a cross-functional team comprising stakeholders from departments such as marketing, IT, data analytics, customer service, and compliance, among others. This team will be responsible for driving the discovery phase and representing different perspectives and requirements (see Figure 5.4).
Figure 5.4: Create a steering committee and project teams across different departments
Some of the tasks that should be performed by this team are as follows:
- Define the purpose, objectives, and set expectations: Clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of implementing a CDP within your organization. Determine the specific outcomes and goals you want to achieve through the implementation. Set reasonable expectations for the implementation. Ideally, you would want all your use cases to get implemented in the first go, but that is never going to happen. The team should set 6, 12, and 24-month goals that are reasonable to achieve given the current state of customer data.
- Identify stakeholders and their needs: Identify the key stakeholders within your organization who will be impacted by the CDP implementation. This may include representatives from marketing, IT, sales, customer service, data governance, and other relevant departments. Ensure that the stakeholders have a vested interest in the success of the project. Engage in discussions with these stakeholders to understand their needs, pain points, and expectations from a CDP solution. This will help you prioritize requirements and align the implementation strategy accordingly.
- Determine roles and responsibilities: Define the roles and responsibilities of the steering team members. Typically, the steering team should include the following roles:
- Project Sponsor: A senior executive who provides overall leadership and support to the CDP implementation. He/she is responsible for setting up the budget and the bandwidth the implementation team will have.
- Project Manager: Responsible for managing the day-to-day activities, coordinating with team members, and ensuring project milestones are met.
- Technical Lead: An expert in the technical aspects of CDP implementation, who can provide guidance and oversee the technical aspects of the project.
- Development team: The development team who will do the actual implementation. The development team in a CDP project usually contains client engineers, backend engineers, data engineers, product analysts, testing engineers, and business analysts. CDP implementation requires members with different tech skills.
- Data Governance Lead: Responsible for ensuring compliance, data quality, and privacy considerations are addressed throughout the implementation.
- Business Representatives: Representatives from different business units who can provide insights, requirements, and feedback on how the CDP should align with their needs.
- Define meeting cadence and structure: Establish a regular meeting cadence for the steering team. Determine the frequency and duration of the meetings, and ensure that all members can commit to attending. Define the structure of the meetings, including agenda items, decision-making processes, and any supporting documentation needed.
- Provide resources and support: Ensure that the steering team has access to the necessary resources, such as budget, technology infrastructure, and support from relevant departments. Assign dedicated resources to assist the team members in their respective roles.
- Communicate and engage: Regularly communicate updates, progress, and challenges to the broader organization. Keep stakeholders informed about the benefits of the CDP implementation and address any concerns they may have. Encourage open dialogue and engagement from all team members.
- Monitor and evaluate: Continuously monitor the progress of the CDP implementation against the defined objectives. Regularly assess the performance of the steering team and address any issues or roadblocks promptly. Evaluate the outcomes achieved and make necessary adjustments as needed.