How to Evaluatea Data Product PlatformA Buyer's Checklist Basedon ISG's Framework

Once data products exist, people need to find and understand them. Look for classification, metadata, search, and discovery capabilities that make it clear what a product contains, what it is intended for, who owns it, and how it relates to other data. Without this information, reusable data products can quickly become another collection of assets that users must navigate manually.

Finding a data product is only useful if people can use it. Evaluate how the platform supports access and consumption across different user groups while keeping governance in place. Self-service should make data easier to access and use without compromising control over who can do what.

Reusable data products need clear expectations around their structure, meaning, quality, and usage. Data contracts can formalize these expectations between producers and consumers, while metadata and lineage help users understand the data and its context. Observability adds another layer by monitoring characteristics such as validity, timeliness, and completeness.

AI is another area covered by the 2026 ISG Buyers Guide™. When evaluating it, look beyond standalone AI features and consider how they support the data product lifecycle. This can include assistance with classification, development, recommendations, quality checks, and the ongoing management of data products. Focus on where AI reduces manual work or improves how data products are built and maintained, rather than simply checking whether AI features are available.

Individual features also need to work within an architecture that can support enterprise requirements. ISG evaluates the platform across areas including adaptability, manageability, reliability, and usability. For buyers, this means assessing how well the platform fits existing architectures and processes, how easily it can be managed at scale, and whether it works for both technical and business users.

The platform itself is only part of the decision. ISG also evaluates Customer Experience, including how providers support customers and communicate the value of their solutions. When comparing providers, consider onboarding, ongoing support, responsiveness, roadmap transparency, and how they help customers assess total cost of ownership and potential ROI. A platform can offer the right capabilities on paper and still be difficult to implement or operate in practice.