CDP Series Part 3: What to expect during CDP Implementation? Webinar Re-cap

Now that you’ve gone through the CDP RFP process and identified that you need a CDP, what comes next? Well, it’s time to start the CDP implementation process. There are 5 phases in the Customer Data Platform (CDP) implementation process which is highlighted below.

In part 3 of this webinar series, ActionIQ’s Head of MarTech Strategy James Meyers joins Softcrylic’s VP of MarTech Strategies Jerry Helou for a discussion exploring what you can expect from migration and how you can prepare your organization for the implementation process.

Watch the full webinar video below or read the key takeaways from the webinar.

Key Takeaways:

There are 5 phases during a CDP implementation – Kickoff, Discover, Design, Go-Live, and Value.

Kickoff phase:

• During the kickoff phase, you need to align with your vendor or system integrator on the project overview
• You also need to get an idea regarding the project plan even if it isn’t polished yet
• Discuss the cadence and statuses during weekly meetings to ensure the project is proceeding according to plan

Discovery Phase:

• The discovery phase is where you will start digging into what you want to build
• The goal of this phase is to walk away with documented requirements
• Identify key use cases for the CDP and hold data discussions that will help identify and prioritize gaps in the data
• Start with 1-2 use cases and build on from there instead of trying to solve 5-10 use cases which could be overwhelming to begin with

Design Phase:

• In the design phase, you will focus more on the data and the data model
• You will need to update the project plan to reflect any changes made during the discovery phase
• The better approach to data readiness is to start with a subset of your data based on your use cases
• Evaluate data readiness by identifying if there is pending work to be done either on the client side or vendor side before getting the data into the CDP
• The goal of this phase is to have a solution design document ready

Go-Live Phase:

• The Go-Live phase is where you will move things into production
• In this phase, you will start executing and activating the data by building segments and journeys
• Perform performance testing to ensure the data expectations are being met performance wise

Value Phase:

• During the value phase, you will need to prepare for the post implementation hand-off
• The focus in this phase will shift towards enablement, training, and change management

Click here to read the next part.