Topics In Demand
Notification
New

No notification found.

Why Your Data Isn’t Driving Results and What to Do About It
Why Your Data Isn’t Driving Results and What to Do About It

11

0

Authored by: Avinish Agarwal, Director - Delivery, Xoriant

We live in an age where data is abundant—but clarity is rare. Organizations are flooded with information, yet many still struggle to turn insights into outcomes. The issue isn’t a lack of data; it’s the disconnect between those analyzing it and those acting on it.

Despite significant investments in data infrastructure, too many businesses fall short of harnessing data for real-time, impactful decisions. Why? Because data teams and business leaders often operate in silos, speaking different languages and chasing different objectives.

This misalignment is more than a technical hiccup—it’s a strategic risk. When analytics and execution don’t work hand-in-hand, opportunities get lost. But when they do? Companies move faster, strategize smarter, and see tangible results.

The Real Value of Data: Driving Action

Every department—whether sales, marketing, operations, or finance—generates and collects data. But raw data alone doesn’t drive competitive advantage. Its value lies in the ability to turn patterns into predictions, and insights into informed decisions.

What gets in the way isn’t lack of dashboards or reports. It’s a lack of alignment between insight creators and decision-makers. Without that connection, even the most sophisticated models go unused, and data becomes background noise.

Where the Disconnect Happens

Several recurring issues fuel the gap between data teams and business units:

1. Speaking Different Languages
Data professionals think in terms of statistical models and technical pipelines. Business teams talk about revenue, risk, and growth. Without a shared vocabulary, miscommunication slows down progress.

2. Chasing Mismatched Metrics
While analysts might explore advanced techniques or novel metrics, business leaders need data tied directly to their KPIs. When those efforts don’t align, analytics projects lose relevance.

3. Fragmented Data, Fragmented Thinking
If data is scattered across disconnected systems, it becomes harder to see the big picture. Teams make decisions in isolation, duplicate efforts, or base actions on incomplete or conflicting data.

4. Low Data Literacy in Business Units
Even when good insights exist, business teams may lack the skills—or the confidence—to interpret them. This leads to decisions driven by instinct over evidence and leaves valuable analytics underused.

What High-Performing Organizations Do Differently

Organizations that successfully bridge this divide aren’t just more data-driven—they’re more data-smart. Here’s what sets them apart:

Prioritize Data Culture from the Top Down
Being data-driven isn’t just an IT initiative—it’s a leadership commitment. When executives use data in every decision, it signals that insights matter at every level.

Embed Data Talent Within Business Teams
Cross-functional collaboration works best when it’s structural. High-performing companies place data analysts directly into departments like sales or operations, encouraging shared understanding and quicker, more relevant insights.

Tie Analytics to Real Business Outcomes
Every data initiative should serve a strategic purpose. Whether it's reducing churn, optimizing inventory, or improving customer engagement, data projects must connect to measurable business goals.

Break Down Data Silos with Unified Infrastructure
Modern data infrastructures—like cloud data warehouses and integration platforms—enable a single source of truth across the organization. When everyone works from the same data foundation, decisions become faster and more aligned.

Invest in Data Literacy Across the Organization
Upskilling teams to understand and question data builds confidence and promotes collaboration. Tools like intuitive dashboards, bite-sized learning modules, and training workshops make data a shared language, not a specialized skill.

Technology Is Only as Good as the People Using It

Dashboards, AI models, and automation tools are valuable—but they aren’t the solution on their own. When the people behind the tools don’t understand each other or work in sync, technology falls short.

Self-service analytics and predictive models can empower business leaders, but only if outputs are trusted, timely, and aligned with business needs.

A Retail Case Study: Turning Insight Into Impact

A national retail brand was struggling with fragmented data systems and underutilized analytics. Their data team had the technical capabilities, but the insights weren’t reaching decision-makers in time—or in a usable form.

The turning point? They restructured how data and business teams worked together—embedding analysts in functional areas, aligning on shared KPIs, and unifying their data architecture.

The result: targeted promotions driven by predictive insights, improved inventory decisions, and a clearer view of customer behavior across channels. The payoff? Higher margins, stronger retention, and faster time-to-action.

Bridging the Gap for Better Decisions

Winning companies aren’t just collecting data—they’re aligning strategy with insight. That alignment starts by making collaboration between data and business teams non-negotiable.

Clarify goals. Build cross-functional teams. Break down silos. Promote data fluency.

Because when data becomes a shared tool, not a specialized language, businesses move from analysis to action—and from insight to impact.

Author Bio:

Avinish Agarwal is a seasoned technology leader and Director – Alliance & Partnerships at Xoriant. With two decades of experience across Oracle, TCS, LTI, and Syntel, he specializes in strategic alliances, delivery leadership, and driving business growth through enterprise technology. Avinish champions collaboration between engineering and business teams to turn insights into impact.


That the contents of third-party articles/blogs published here on the website, and the interpretation of all information in the article/blogs such as data, maps, numbers, opinions etc. displayed in the article/blogs and views or the opinions expressed within the content are solely of the author's; and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of NASSCOM or its affiliates in any manner. NASSCOM does not take any liability w.r.t. content in any manner and will not be liable in any manner whatsoever for any kind of liability arising out of any act, error or omission. The contents of third-party article/blogs published, are provided solely as convenience; and the presence of these articles/blogs should not, under any circumstances, be considered as an endorsement of the contents by NASSCOM in any manner; and if you chose to access these articles/blogs , you do so at your own risk.


Xoriant is a Silicon Valley-headquartered digital product engineering, software development, and technology services firm with offices in the USA,UK, Ireland, Mexico, Canada and Asia. From startups to the Fortune 100, we deliver innovative solutions, accelerating time to market and ensuring our clients' competitiveness in industries like BFSI, High Tech, Healthcare, Manufacturing and Retail. Across all our technology focus areas-digital product engineering, DevOps, cloud, infrastructure, and security, big data and analytics, data engineering, management and governance -every solution we develop benefits from our product engineering pedigree. It also includes successful methodologies, framework components, and accelerators for rapidly solving important client challenges. For 30 years and counting, we have taken great pride in our long-lasting, deep relationships with our clients.

© Copyright nasscom. All Rights Reserved.