CDO Matters Podcast CDO Matters Ep. 96 | The Data Strategy Canvas
Mar 9, 2026
Samir Sharma, data and analytics leader and author of The Data Strategy Canvas, shares the origin of his canvas and why it links strategy to execution. He explains mapping objectives to decisions, how the canvas unites business and tech, and updates for AI, ethics, and governance. They discuss practical ways to start small, avoid vendor hype, and focus on measurable delivery.
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How The Data Strategy Canvas Was Born
- Samir Sharma stopped a technical meeting and drew a canvas on whiteboards after business leaders were confused by a physical data model.
- The canvas mapped strategic objective to decisions, business questions, users and data, which immediately aligned tech and business participants.
Canvas Reframes Strategy Into Four Execution Lenses
- The Data Strategy Canvas closes the strategy execution gap by shifting focus from slideware to practical execution and value alignment.
- Samir reorganized the canvas into four lenses: strategic objectives, strategic framing, strategic enablement, and strategic readiness to include AI, ethics and operating model.
Prioritise Small Scope Execution To Protect Your Role
- CDOs should prioritise execution and narrow scopes to deliver measurable value quickly rather than being governance-only.
- Malcolm Hawker warns accountability moves to those who can deliver and tenure shrinks when data leaders fail to show outcomes with dollar signs.
