How to Build Data Products that matter
"Building things that really matter." Nice slogan, right? But if you work in data, you probably know that it’s not that simple. So many of us build dashboards, reports, or tools that get hyped at first… then, weeks later, we realize they’re barely being used. It’s frustrating—puts a damper on the motivation, for sure. So, based on my experience the problem can be solved by following the mental shift from providing my effort as a service to building data solutions to their business problems.
There’s more to this shift than just wanting to feel good about my work, though. I recently wrote about the why behind Data Products and why they have more impact than just rolling out fancy dashboards or endless tables [link]. This post is the natural follow-up to that conversation. So if you’re already on board with the why, then the next question to ask is how to actually build Data Products that make a difference. That’s where we’re headed here.
To create a Data Product that matters, you have to think about its core value. Really, it’s about why anyone would need it in the first place. What is it helping users do? How will it make their work better or their lives easier? If you can nail down those answers, you’re halfway there. Finding that “sweet spot”—a mix of KPIs, visuals, or alerts that genuinely help—is what makes a Data Product valuable.
