Meaningful change isn’t always about launching a data transformation strategy or procuring new tools. It can be about building trust in the information you already have and using that to support better decisions.

Doing the basics of clean, clear, accessible data well isn’t glamorous, but it is strategic. And it’s entirely within reach.

We’ve all heard the saying: garbage in, garbage out. But in 2025, the inverse is just as true: good data in, good insights out.

This isn’t just a lesson for central government agencies or digital start-ups. It’s a truth that holds across the board: whether you’re running a social services provider, a regional council, a Crown entity, or a small manufacturer, improving how you manage and use your data can have an outsized impact on the decisions you make.

The reality? Many organisations already have more data than they use. But too often it’s locked away, inconsistently formatted, or not trusted. Better insights don’t necessarily require new tools or systems. They require doing the basics well.

Ambition vs Reality

Recent research by Better for Business shows that less than half of New Zealand businesses are confident solving problems using digital technology. This level of confidence has remained unchanged since 2021.

This insight resonates across public and private sector organisations. It’s not the presence of tools that unlocks value, it’s the ability to apply them to real-world challenges. In many settings, people are comfortable using routine systems (like online banking or filling in forms), but hesitate when faced with a new platform, integration issue, or analytical task.

Our hypothesis: a key part of the problem is low confidence in data that powers digital solutions.

Whether you’re managing service delivery, trying to streamline operations, or planning a new initiative, this confidence gap matters. It helps explain why even digitally equipped teams often fall short of leveraging data to shape long-term decisions. This finding mirrors what we see in government too, where data is collected in many formats and systems but isn’t always joined up or ready to inform decisions. The issue isn’t a lack of data: it’s the quality, alignment, and accessibility of what’s already there.

In both sectors, we see leaders trying to make calls with confidence while quietly wondering whether the dashboard in front of them is telling the full story. That’s why improving the fundamentals matters. As we argued in our recent whitepaper, From Silos to Systems: Delivering Value through Digital Government , high-performing digital systems rely on clean, flowing data and clear standards, not just new technology. The same principle applies to any organisation: good decisions start with trusted information.

So what?

Data and digital tools alone don’t create strategic insight: people do. The nexus of capability, tools, and data is where problem solving and insight happen.

Bridging the confidence gap doesn’t always require starting with a transformation programme. It starts with small, deliberate moves that make data more usable, relevant, and connected to everyday decisions.

In a world where good strategy demands timely insight, confidence in your data and using insight to target real problems isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s core infrastructure.

Moves to improve data use tomorrow

Here are four things any organisation can do without a new system, contract, or budget line, to get more value from the data it already holds:

Audit one core dataset
Choose one dataset you rely on regularly (e.g. customers, service users, locations, assets) and spend two hours reviewing it. Where are the gaps, errors, duplicates? Is it clear what each field means? Who owns its maintenance? A quick audit often reveals small issues that, if fixed, can materially improve confidence.
Standardise a single definition
Pick one important term (e.g. ‘participant’, ‘successful outcome’, ‘customer touchpoint’) and agree on what it means across teams or systems. That small act of clarity reduces misinterpretation and sets the stage for data alignment in future projects.
Make data easier to find
In most organisations, valuable data exists but only a few people know where or how to access it. Map out what data is stored where, and make it more accessible (e.g. a shared folder, a dashboard, or a quick index). Don’t aim for perfect; aim for visible and usable.
Encourage evidence-based discussion
In your next leadership meeting, ask: “What evidence supports this decision?” That single question begins to shift culture from opinions to insight.

Closing the confidence gap

At your next leadership meeting, take some time to reflect on:

· What long-term opportunities could we unlock if we had greater confidence in our data?

We can’t wait to continue the kōrero with you in our next ‘Moves that Matter’.

Good data, better decisions: Small moves that can improve data use