You Built the Right Solution… But No One Uses It

Part 5 of a Series: From Messy Problems to Clear Definitions

When the Work Is Aligned… But Still Ignored

In the previous article, we looked at a common issue in analytics work.

The problem is clear. The work is aligned. The objective is defined.

And yet, nothing changes.

OKR → Data Product thinking helps connect what we build to meaningful business outcomes. That already improves the quality of the work. But even when that alignment is in place, another issue often emerges.

The solution is correct. The problem is real. The objective is clear.

And still, people don’t use it.

A Familiar Situation

Let’s return to the same example.

We defined the objective: improve new customer conversion for online sales. We identified the breakdown point and aligned the work to that outcome.

This time, the solution is built with purpose. It reflects the right stage in the journey and is tied to a meaningful objective.

And yet, usage is low.

People don’t refer to it in discussions. It is not part of decision-making. The business continues to operate as before.

This is not a problem of data.

It is a problem of relevance.

A solution can be correct… and still not be used. Because it was not built for the people who need it.

Introducing the Data Team Lean Canvas

This is where the Data Team Lean Canvas becomes useful.

If OKR → Data Product connects the work to outcomes, the Lean Canvas ensures that what you build is actually usable by the people involved. It shifts the focus again, from defining the solution to understanding how it fits into real work.

The question is no longer just what we should build.

It becomes who will use it, and how it will support their decisions.

Design the solution around the user, not just the data.

What It Forces You to Clarify

This shift sounds simple, but it changes how the work is shaped.

You define the problem clearly, but from the user’s perspective. You outline the solution, but also how it will be used. You identify who the primary user is, what decision they need to make, and how the output supports that decision.

Individually, these are not new ideas.

But bringing them together, before building anything, changes the outcome.

How It Works in Practice

Returning to our example, the difference becomes clearer.

We are no longer just asking what solution to build. We are asking who needs to use it and what decision it supports.

Is it the marketing team trying to improve campaigns? The product team refining the user journey? Leadership tracking performance trends?

Each group works differently. They need different levels of detail, at different points in time, for different decisions.

A solution built for everyone usually ends up working well for no one.

Using the Lean Canvas, we define:

• who the primary user is

• what decision they need to make

• how often that decision is made

• how the solution supports that decision

At this point, the design changes.

It becomes simpler, more focused, and easier to act on.

Usage increases when the solution fits how decisions are made.Not just how data is structured.

Why This Changes the Way You Work

Once you start thinking in terms of users and decisions, your work becomes more deliberate.

You stop building for completeness. You start building for usefulness.

Instead of asking whether everything is included, you ask whether the right decision can be made quickly and confidently. This reduces complexity and increases the likelihood that your work will actually be used.

A Common Mistake to Avoid

A common mistake is to assume that if a solution is correct and aligned to the business objective, it will naturally be used.

It won’t.

Usage depends on whether it fits into how people work, how often they make decisions, and how easily they can act on what they see.

Without that, even well-built solutions remain unused.

Where We Go Next

At this point, the problem is clear, the work is aligned, and the solution is designed for use.

But even when all of this is in place, something else often gets in the way.

Sometimes the issue is not the problem, not the solution, and not even the user.

It is the environment the data sits in.

Too much control, and nothing moves.Too little control, and everything becomes unreliable.

In the next article, we will look at the Agility vs Control Quadrant, and how to balance both without losing trust or speed.

Closing Thought

Alignment ensures you build the right solution. Relevance ensures it actually gets used.

But even the right solution, used by the right people, still depends on the environment it operates in.