Data without a shared truth
Many organisations invest heavily in ERP systems and tools, but forget the step that determines everything: making joint agreements about what figures mean. Without clear definitions of concepts such as turnover or customer activity, data remains susceptible to interpretation and fragmentation.
‘If you don’t establish what is true for your organisation, everyone will create their own reality,’ says Jan-Douwe. ‘This leads to uncontrolled growth: teams build their own KPIs, dashboards and reports, data is stored in different ways and there is no common direction.’
Organisations that do organise this well don’t start with technology but with agreements. They work from a single central source, use unambiguous definitions and follow a consistent working method. With such a foundation, data becomes a reliable compass.
“If you do not establish what constitutes truth for your organisation, uncontrolled growth will occur. Data becomes fragmented, and you lose control of the strategy.”
When data becomes a brake rather than an accelerator
Organisations assume that more data automatically leads to better insights. In reality, the opposite is often true. As soon as data is not trusted, the brakes are applied: decisions are postponed, teams fall back on gut feelings and opportunities are missed.
‘Data-driven working is a behaviour, not a tool,’ emphasises Jan-Douwe. ‘If people don’t trust the figures or don’t know how to interpret them, nothing changes. Then all you have is an expensive dashboard.’
The difference between reporting and truly data-driven working is crucial here. Reports show what has happened; data-driven organisations steer the future. It’s not just about insight, but about the actions that follow.
The role of leadership and ownership
When we visit clients, we often see the same pattern: they have data, dashboards and reports, but no one really owns the figures. Teams interpret the same data in different ways and KPIs are invented independently of each other.
According to Jan-Douwe, the cause is rarely technical, but almost always related to direction. ‘Leadership means saying: these are our goals, this is how we measure them, and this is what we focus on.’ Without these frameworks, data becomes fragmented and teams lose control of the strategy.
Organisations that handle this well explicitly define who owns which data, link figures to concrete business goals and ensure that teams take responsibility for quality. In this way, data in an ERP system becomes not a static overview, but an engine that supports growth.
“AI is an accelerator, not a solution. If your foundation
isn’t right, you’re just accelerating the chaos.”
AI is changing the competitive landscape
The rapid rise of AI is changing the playing field. Analysis, identification and prediction are increasingly being generated automatically. However, technology alone does not solve anything. ‘AI is an accelerator, not a solution,’ says Jan-Douwe. ‘If your foundation is not sound, you are only accelerating the chaos.’ He therefore sees a clear shift in the market. The role of consultants is shifting from system designer to strategic advisor. Technology is doing more and more of the executive work, while experts focus on strategy: which choices will move you forward, which data matters, and how do you ensure that insights lead to action?
Data is a powerhouse, not just an archiving tool.
At Dynamic People, data-driven working does not start with software, but with strategy. First, we determine where an organisation wants to go, then how data can support these goals. This approach is in line with the organisation’s core values: proven, resourceful, proud and enterprising.
‘It’s about starting small, demonstrating value quickly and scaling up step by step,’ says Jan-Douwe. ‘Don’t try to do everything at once, but first lay a solid foundation so that data doesn’t remain a collection of isolated figures. When strategy and decisions are based on well-designed insights, data becomes an engine for growth rather than a filing cabinet full of figures.’
