From Chaos to Clarity: Sustaining the Culture of Data Freedom
Self-service BI is often sold as a technology problem to be solved with tools, licences, and a semantic model that everyone can use. But the truth is, the long-term success of self-service BI depends far more on culture than on technology. Even the most optimised Premium capacity and the most disciplined report builders cannot keep chaos at bay if the organisational culture drifts back into “every dashboard for itself.”
This series has been about finding the balance between freedom and structure. We’ve explored how systems thinking helps us design BI environments that protect shared resources. Then we laid out practical guidelines for report builders to work efficiently within those environments. Most recently we looked at governance, including the role of a Centre of Excellence, to keep the commons healthy without over-policing. In this final instalment, we focus on the cultural layer: the ongoing habits, behaviours, and shared understanding that turn governance from a set of rules into a way of working.
During our time in Scotland, one of my favourite moments came on our last day. We revisited Craigmillar Castle and, without prompting, the kids led the way through to the main hall. No map, no guide, no arguments over who got the grand hall this time. After many castle visits they understood the “flow” of the place. They could explore freely while still respecting the boundaries that kept the castle safe.
That is exactly what you want in a mature BI culture. People instinctively follow the paths that keep the system healthy. They do not feel constrained by the rules because the rules are baked into how they work.
Good governance leads the team by establishing a strong BI culture.
Image thoughtfully made using Canva for Ascendant Analytics
Building and Sustaining That Culture
A strong BI culture does not appear overnight. It needs a mix of deliberate actions, visible leadership, and peer influence. Here are some of the ways organisations can build and sustain it:
1. Onboarding that sets the tone
New analysts and report builders should get more than a “here’s your licence” email. Give them a short, engaging induction to the semantic model, performance best practices, and publishing process. Show them examples of great reports and explain why they work.
2. Continuous learning and sharing
Host regular “show and tell” sessions where teams demo their latest dashboards, share design tips, or explain a clever DAX trick. This is not just about skills, it normalises talking openly about how we build.
3. Recognition and incentives
Highlight reports that are both impactful and efficient. A simple “Report of the Month” award or an internal shout-out in the company newsletter can make a big difference. It sets a public example of the standards you value and rewards those who work within them.
4. Executive modelling
If leadership demands overloaded one-page dashboards crammed with every KPI, analysts will build them. If leadership uses clean, well-structured reports and asks informed questions in meetings, that behaviour will spread just as quickly. Executives are part of the BI culture whether they realise it or not.
5. Open feedback loops
Give report builders visibility into how their work affects the capacity. A monthly “health dashboard” showing which workspaces are running well and which are causing strain helps connect individual actions to system outcomes. People are more likely to self-correct when they see the bigger picture.
6. Keep the CoE connected to the community
The Centre of Excellence from our previous blog in this series plays a big role here. It goes beyond just publishing rules, instead it should be active in the user community and listen for emerging needs. A CoE that evolves with the community keeps the governance relevant and avoids becoming a static rulebook.
Why Culture Matters More Than Rules
Rules are static. Culture is alive. If you rely only on rules, the system will work for a while, but eventually the pressure to “just get it done” will encourage people to use shortcuts that bypass the governance. When the culture itself supports responsible building, the healthy behaviours survive even when the rules are not being enforced constantly.
Think back to those castles. The ropes, signs, and staff are important, but the real magic is when visitors start guiding each other. A parent redirects their child away from climbing the wrong wall. One tourist passing another on the staircase, shares the quickest way to the tower. That is culture at work, shared responsibility becoming the norm.
The real win is not just a platform that runs smoothly. It is an organisation where analysts, executives, and the BI team all see themselves as custodians of the commons. That shared mindset is what turns chaos into clarity and keeps the platform, and the people using it, working at their best.