CDP-Implementation: Specification

CDP implementation: stages of implementation

The blog series on CDP-implementation provides a detailed overview of the specific project stages. In the first post, we already clarified what is important before the start of the project, which roles are relevant and which experts should definitely be on the team. Now comes stage two: the specification.

Specification: making the right choice

In the specification phase, the use cases are identified, and a selection is made. The use cases for different scenarios are defined depending on the area of application and the business model.

A distinction is made between functional and technical specifications. While the functional specification deals with what is to be implemented in concrete terms, the technical specification aims to clarify what must be done at the technical level to meet the functional requirements.

Functional specification

The functional specification is strongly project-dependent and aims to identify, compile, evaluate and prioritize use cases. The focus should always be on customers and other relevant stakeholders. This applies in particular to ensuring that the defined use cases cover all touchpoints of the customer journey that are critical to success.  

To meet this goal, it is advisable to develop a customer journey map. The preliminary result is initially a loose collection of CDP use cases, which are then prioritized in a further step on the basis of the overarching goals. However, it is important to distinguish between those use cases that need to be implemented right at the start of the project and those that will only be implemented in subsequent stages.  

Good to know: Customer journey mapping visually depicts the various touchpoints of the customer journey and all customer interactions with the brand or product. The visual representation helps to better understand the entire customer journey and to identify potential more clearly.

Prioritizing use cases: using a matrix to make the right decision

In order to be able to make the right decisions at this point, you can make use of a makeshift tool: With the help of a matrix, both the estimated effort and the expected result can be documented for each use case and compared with the other use cases. With the core team, which we already defined in the first post of this blog series, the prioritization of the use cases then takes place in an open and self-critical round of reflection.  

Tip: To dispel the last doubts before selecting the use cases, a detailed evaluation of the cases can be carried out if required. Existing data sets, A/B tests or customer surveys can be used for this purpose.

Technical specification

As soon as the functional specification has been completed and the use cases have been determined, the technical specification begins. The focus at this point is on the questions of whether the defined cases can be implemented technically and which systems are required for this. To answer these questions, specific expert knowledge is required, which is why the right contacts from IT and development must be involved in this phase.  

What follows is a detailed and thorough validation of the cases with regard to possible systems, data transmission methods and data transmission frequencies. The result can affect the prioritization of the use cases in different ways:  

• The technical implementation is not feasible = Use case gets deleted
• The technical implementation would be useful at a later project stage = Use case gets deprioritized
• Adaptations are necessary for the technical implementation = Use case gets adapted in terms of distribution logic and content

Once this procedure has been completed for all use cases, there is clarity about the system to be implemented, the technical transfer, and the data to be transferred. At this point, the next project stage can be initiated: the basic configuration of the CDP.