What Your Data Isn’t Telling You (Yet) 

Why Most Personalisation Falls Flat and How Digital Leaders Are Rewriting the Rules  

Let’s be honest: “We’re doing personalisation” is one of the most overused and under-defined phrases in digital today.  

That’s exactly where the conversation started in our recent workshop, Unlocking the Power of Data to Personalise Digital Experiences, led by John Prior, Consulting Partner at 26 DX. It wasn’t about adding another layer of theory. It was about unpicking why so many teams feel stuck, and what it actually takes to make personalisation work.  

Here’s what we uncovered: Personalisation Isn’t a Toolset. It’s a System.  

Across the group, four interconnected foundations surfaced as non-negotiables for meaningful, scalable personalisation:  

1. Platform Chaos Is Killing Progress  
Many organisations are sitting on a maze of data tools - built up over time, rarely rationalised, and even more rarely connected. Fragmented ownership and mismatched platforms were a common challenge. The result? A lack of reliable, real-time signals. Solving this isn’t about buying more software - it’s about establishing clear governance and creating a unified flow of data that serves the entire experience ecosystem.  

2. Audiences Aren’t Static, So Why Is Your Strategy?  
Most segmentation models are out of step with how people actually behave. The session called for a shift from flat personas to dynamic characteristics: attributes that change as users move through touchpoints, make decisions, or change their goals. Participants agreed, real-time understanding isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the difference between meaningful relevance and missed opportunity.  

3. Power Moments Are Easy to Miss  
The discussion turned to lifecycle inflection points - what we dubbed power moments. These are the points where customer needs pivot: onboarding hesitation, mid-journey confusion, late-stage reconsideration. Brands that anticipate and respond at these moments earn trust. Brands that don’t? They vanish into noise.  

4. Relevance Without Respect = Intrusion  
A powerful theme emerged around how personalisation is delivered, not just when. Misjudged tone or timing can turn a helpful nudge into a user alienation. Especially in sensitive sectors like finance or healthcare, empathy, clarity, and timing are everything. The takeaway? Respect user context before you chase outcomes.  

Hard Truths Shared Around the Table  

→ Most teams already have the data they need, but they’re not set up to use it efficiently or ethically.  

→ Internal stakeholders remain unconvinced, often because the business case hasn’t been framed in outcomes they care about.  

→ Many experiences are still built around what brands want users to do, not what users actually need in the moment.  

Why It Matters Now  

In 2025, personalisation isn’t about getting a user's name into an email. It’s about designing systems - structural, technical, and cultural that adapt to real people in real time. That means moving beyond vanity metrics and building operational muscle memory for using data well.  

One insight from the session captured this shift perfectly:  

“Personalisation without context is just noise. And in 2025, noise costs more than it earns.”  

If your team is stuck between ambition and execution, the ideas from this session offer a clear path forward rooted in relevance, not just reach.  

Want help turning insight into impact?  Let’s talk.