Bridging the Gap: Smarter Data Vaults and the Power of Data Town Planning

In a recent Data Vault User Group webinar, renowned data strategist John Giles shared his vision for evolving Data Vault practices—one that goes beyond technical implementation and embraces business engagement, conceptual clarity, and strategic planning.

John opened with a familiar challenge: the disconnect between IT and business. While Data Vault has always been “about the business,” many practitioners still struggle to bridge the communication gap.

His solution? A metaphor drawn from urban development “data town planning.”

From Source System to Smarter Vaults

John contrasted traditional “source system Data Vault” approaches, which focus on technology, with a more business-centric model. He emphasised the importance of engaging stakeholders to define core concepts (like what a “customer” is).

Anecdotes from health insurance and cemetery services illustrated how unclear definitions can derail even basic analytics.

The Town Planning Metaphor

Using the story of Canberra’s delayed planning, John illustrated the risks of building data systems without a coherent blueprint.

Just as cities need zoning and infrastructure plans, enterprises need conceptual data models to guide development. He introduced the idea of patterns—reusable templates for modeling entities like customers, products, and events—drawing on the work of David Hay and Len Silverston.

These patterns allow non-technical stakeholders to participate meaningfully in data design. For example, asking “What would you want in your enterprise address book?” opens the door to collaborative modeling without jargon.

Beyond Data Vault: Enterprise-Wide Value

John’s approach isn’t limited to Data Vault. He showed how a well-crafted data town plan can support:

• Data Warehousing

• Master Data Management

• Application Development

• Package Evaluation

• Interoperability across organizations

One standout story involved coordinating data across 17 organisations during a wildfire response. A shared conceptual model enabled effective communication and system integration.

Agile-Friendly and Scalable

John addressed concerns about planning overhead in agile environments. He shared examples of delivering high-level models in just a few days, dramatically improving project velocity.

His “T-model” approach—mile wide, inch deep—provides a scalable framework that supports iterative development without sacrificing coherence.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a techie who prefers coding, or business-minded and eager to engage with strategy, John’s message is clear: building a bridge between IT and business is essential.

A data town plan offers a practical, inclusive way to do just that—making Data Vault not only better and easier, but also more impactful across the enterprise.

To dive deeper into John’s insights and hear the full discussion, watch the webinar above.