10 Trends for CDAOs in 2022

Three months into the year, Evanta, a Gartner Company, has collected nearly 300 surveys from CDAOs in our communities around the world. There are some clear trends from these survey results, which should help data and analytics leaders compare their current strategies with their peers or possibly feel validated in the direction they are headed. Strategic partners who work with CDAOs should also take note of these trends as they provide further understanding of their customers.

Each year, we ask data and analytics leaders about their top priorities for their function and for the enterprise, as well as the goals and challenges in achieving them. In addition, we look for patterns in how their spending plans align with their priorities for the year. 

Based on our annual Leadership Perspective Survey for 2022, here are 10 trends we are finding in CDAOs’ priorities across the enterprise and in their investment plans. 

These are the top five trends for enterprise priorities among CDAOs:

1. Driving Growth has moved from the #2 enterprise priority in 2021 to the #1 rated priority in 2022, leap-frogging ‘improving customer experience.’

2. Digital Business Acceleration is rated #2 as the overall enterprise priority this year.

3. Increasing Revenue has moved out of the top five enterprise priorities, dropping to #6 for 2022.

4. Improving Customer Experience remains in the top three enterprise priorities for three years in a row.

5. Increasing Operational Efficiencies and Productivity and Innovating for Competitive Advantage both remain in the top five rated enterprise priorities for two years running.

Here’s a chart identifying the top three enterprise priorities for CDAOs in our largest regions for 2022.

Here are the top five trends among CDAOs’ planned investments in 2022:

1. 49% of CDAOs have identified an increase in their operating budget for the coming year, slightly increasing from 48% in 2021.

2. 50% of CDAOs have identified an increase in their planned spend for 2022, which is 2 points higher than in 2021.

3. Investments in Data Governance remain the highest area of focus cited by CDAOs two years in a row.

4. Data and analytics leaders are continuing to make heavy investments in Data Quality, Integration and Management. In fact, 52% of CDAOs will be investing in databases, data warehousing and/or data lakes.

5. Machine Learning capabilities remain in the top five planned spending opportunities for 2022, with 75% of interested CDAOs planning to purchase these capabilities within the next 12 months.

Here is a chart identifying the top three investment areas for CDAOs in our largest regions for 2022.

As CDAOs look to make an impact on the digital enterprise, focusing on the customer and driving growth, they are still challenged by a lack of cultural buy-in and data literacy and awareness. In 2022, investments in governance and data quality will help build trust across the enterprise, increasing demand for data and continued movement toward a data-literate organization.