You can't buy data management

A white paper on data management for the aviation industry by Chris Ford

Download the white paper

The aviation industry is facing a data deluge.

On one side, there's a soaring demand for data-driven insights to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency. On the other, data volumes are exploding, and legacy systems are buckling under the pressure.

Despite the potential of machine learning and analytics, aviation data management is struggling. Data silos, quality issues, governance challenges, and rising costs are hindering progress.

Data management is of universal concern across the aviation industry. It would be great if companies could simply purchase a product to solve it, yet the reality is that data management cannot be bought off-the-shelf, for several reasons.

Integration

Data management is an integration concern, by its nature a cross-cutting capability that connects disparate systems. As such, it cannot be effectively decoupled and delegated to an off-the-shelf solution.

Customer relationships

To truly engage customers, you need to know them, and that requires robust data management. It's not a function you can simply delegate to an off-the-shelf solution.

Quality

Data quality must be built into data at the source, and cannot be retrofitted in downstream systems. That makes data quality a cross-cutting concern that cannot be delegated to an off-the-shelf system.

Responsibility

Data management is key to minimizing regulatory and reputational risks. These are risks you can't simply outsource – you're always accountable, even if a third party is involved.

The truth is, you can't buy data management.

This doesn't mean airlines need to navigate the evolving data landscape alone. Instead of traditional outsourcing, they can leverage external expertise through two effective models: platforms and partnerships. These approaches offer a more agile and collaborative way to access specialized data skills and resources.

Are you ready to:

Overcome data challenges
Unlock the true value of your data
Build a robust data foundation for the future

Download our white paper to learn how to navigate the aviation data landscape and achieve sustainable success.

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About the author

Chris Ford

Tech Director | Retail, Consumer, Travel & Transportation - Europe

Chris is a Technology Director at Thoughtworks, responsible for Aviation, Retail, Consumer, Travel, and Transportation across Europe. He is a veteran with more than a decade as a Thoughtworks consultant and leverages our global expertise to deliver impactful solutions for his clients.

Chris is a recognized expert in data, architecture, and agile software development, sharing his insights through public speaking and writing. He provides contextualized advice to help organizations navigate the complexities of business and technology. He has a proven track record of improving software delivery effectiveness for companies in Australia, the UK, the US, India, Uganda, Spain, and Germany.

Whether you're looking to boost efficiency, enhance customer experience, or drive innovation, Chris can help you leverage technology to achieve your strategic goals.