#48 Your data strategy and data plan are two different things - get both!

#48 Your data strategy and data plan are two different things - get both!

From Make Data Talk by Dr Selena Fisk

March 3, 2026 · 11 min

About this episode

Dr. Selena Fisk explains the critical difference between a data strategy and a data plan, emphasizing their importance for effective data-informed decision making in organizations.

In this episode of Make Data Talk , Dr. Selena Fisk breaks down the critical difference between a data strategy and a data plan, and why confusing the two is quietly undermining data-informed decision making in many organisations. Too often, leaders believe they have a data strategy when what they actually have is a collection of dashboards, reporting tools, or technology roadmaps. But a true data strategy defines why data matters, and how it creates value. A data plan, on the other hand, clarifies what data is used, by whom, when, and what responsibility sits behind it. If you care about data governance, building a strong data culture, improving business intelligence, or strengthening data-informed leadership, this episode will help you align strategy with execution. You'll learn: The difference between data strategy and a data plan How to provide clarity for data responsibility across teams Practical steps to build a more data-informed organisation Perfect for executives, leaders, and data professionals who want their data investments to actually change behaviour, not just produce reports.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Selena Fisk

Topics covered

  • data strategy
  • data plan
  • data governance
  • data culture
  • business intelligence
  • data-informed leadership

Keywords

  • data strategy
  • data plan
  • data governance
  • data culture
  • business intelligence
  • leadership
  • decision making

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