In my last post I talked about the perils of data quality procrastination and how the inability to act frequently comes down to one person, or a very small group of individuals.

In this post I want to expand on that discussion and explore 5 key obstacles that can often lead to procrastination.

To quote Zig Ziglar:

Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.

If your proposed data quality initiative can combat these obstacles then you stand a far greater chance of breaking down the causes of data quality procrastination.

No Need

This is a tough obstacle to overcome. Unfortunately there have been no advances in software that allows data to be fed in one side and an “annual cost of defective data report” to flow out the other.

Organisations develop elaborate ways to hide the cost of data quality under the guise of “scrap and rework”. Knowledge workers spend a large amount of time resolving data defects so it’s often hard for senior management to perceive the need.

Does your data quality proposition have a clear, compelling need associated with it? Is that need connected with something strategic that the business is driving towards? Personal needs are equally justified. Can your project save senior management from failure or embarrassment, perhaps on another project that can benefit from data quality?

No Money

In this climate there is a good chance you’ll meet this obstacle. For example, there may be board-level decisions that prevent any new IT spent. In many companies, data quality gets (unfairly) associated with IT investment, how are you going to resolve this obstacle?

Have you created a compelling ROI model? Can you create a short pilot to demonstrate tangible ROI?

Remember that to create an attractive business case you must generate cash that the business can use now and tangible profits are far more compelling than softer intangibles such as customer satisfaction and increased brand appeal. Can your project demonstrate a clear roadmap for creating profits?

No Hurry

“But our new ERP system doesn’t go live for another 12 months – why do I have to sign-off this data quality improvement project now?”

Creating a sense of urgency is one of the key components of any change management strategy. Ask any internet marketer how they increase conversion rates on product sales and they’ll tell you why a time-limited offer is so important.

To sell anything you need to demonstrate why the other party needs the goods, now.

Can you demonstrate why your data quality initiative needs to be acted on now? Perhaps you can show an increasing trend of defects and associated costs, highlighting the cost of weekly procrastination. There needs to be some kind of compelling event or situation to lure the sponsor out of their comfort zone of inaction.

No Desire

Let’s be honest, data quality is not always the most desirable of initiatives in the eyes of senior management. I have met senior managers who privately admitted that data quality had little attraction for them when compared to other projects.

How are you going to make your project so desirable and attractive that sponsors come to you? How can you create pull instead of push?

Remember the personal angle here, people act on their desires.

Does your project deliver the goods in this area? Are you communicating the most desirable personal benefits? How will the project make life more agreeable for the sponsor? How will it take away a potentially stressful situation? Can it help to reduce risk both to the company and a sponsors career?

There are lots of ways a data quality project can be communicated as desirable, you simply need to understand the motivation of the sponsor and push the right buttons.

No Trust

Trust is often a challenging obstacle to overcome because it is harder to define and measure than other obstacles. Potential sponsors are unlikely to communicate their mistrust of you or your project but you still need to plan for this obstacle all the same.

Can your team be trusted to deliver this project successfully? Do have a successful track record? Are you communicating a clear roadmap with well thought out phases and deliverables? Have you already demonstrated some quick wins?

Take time to communicate 1-2-1 with your senior sponsors, listen for objections that may indicate a lack of trust and confidence. Build relationships and demonstrate the abilities of you and your team.

In Summary

Whether we are external consultants pitching for an assignment or an internal data quality lead aiming to roll-out a new project, we need to overcome these 5 pillars of procrastination.

The good news is that quite often we already have the information that the sponsor requires, it is simply a matter of improving the frequency and format of our communication so that each sponsor can break down their personal obstacles to moving forward.

These are just 5 common obstacles to the sales process but have you experienced others? How have you broken down the barriers of data quality procrastination? Please share your views.