Data Mesh

Chapter 15. Strategy and Execution

The essence of strategy is choosing to perform activities differently than rivals do.

Michael E. Porter

Is your organization adopting a data-oriented strategy? Is it planning to offer distinct value to its customers and partners using data and insights? Does your organization have a vision to use data to perform a different set of activities or its current activities differently? Is your organization curious about data mesh as a foundation for implementing this strategy?

If you answered yes to these questions, this chapter is for you.

In this chapter I describe the relationship between data mesh and an overall data strategy, and how to approach its execution through an iterative, value-driven, and evolutionary approach.

But first, a quick self-assessment.

Should You Adopt Data Mesh Today?

Before you proceed to the rest of this chapter, you may ask yourself, is data mesh the right choice for my organization? Or more importantly, is data mesh the right choice now?¹

Figure 15-1 depicts my perspective on these questions. I suggest that organizations that fall in the colored section of the spider graph—scoring medium or high on each of the assessment axes—are best positioned to adopt data mesh successfully at this point in time. You can use the following criteria to self-assess whether data mesh is the right choice for your organization now.

Figure 15-1. Criteria to self-assess readiness for data mesh adoption

Organizational complexity ...