Introducing Level 4 of The Connected Insights Framework: The accelerated organization

Last year, Zappi introduced The Connected Insights Framework, which highlights many areas of focus where business leaders, particularly insights and marketing leaders, must partner in order to drive change via the insights function. To determine where on the framework businesses currently stand, it asks a series of questions to enable individuals to self-assess their level of maturity.

While most organizations aspire to Level 3: Connected, leading companies are already pioneering the next — Level 4: Accelerated.

In this article, we’ll cover what this new level involves, the advantages, how to start your path towards Level 4 and how business leaders can help you get there. 

In Level 4, consumer understanding isn't a separate activity. Instead, it's embedded in daily operations that's accelerated with AI.

AI adoption to leverage centralized consumer data represents the ultimate bridge between marketing and insights, where insights become an indistinguishable part of the consumer-centric operating model.

This, in turn, speeds up decision-making to drive business outcomes faster than ever before.

Think of Level 4 organizations as architects. As they build out this level, these are the characteristics that will be seen across the people, processes, tech, data and role of the consumer:

• People: Insights work is integrated and embedded into other functions. The insights executives and leaders have strong relationships across the entire executive team. Rather than a separate function, insights becomes part of the organizational operating system.

• Process: Insights processes run continuously. Requests are processed and delivered via aligned partners and technologies. Agencies align and harmonize data that is continuously connected across organizational areas. The insights function informs outputs — directly influencing what the organization produces.

• Technology: Technology isn't just used frequently, it's seamlessly integrated into business processes. AI and automation handle routine analysis, freeing humans for strategic interpretation and action planning.

• Data: Data flows continuously and contextually. Rather than data warehouses or even connected systems, Level 4 organizations have data ecosystems that automatically surface relevant insights at decision points.

• Consumer: Consumers aren't just at the heart of decision-making — they're part of the ongoing conversation. Real-time feedback loops and continuous listening replace periodic research projects.

So how do you get to this state? Let’s get into some areas of focus to help you on your path to Level 4.

To reach Level 4 of the Connected Insights Framework, there’s a few areas you need to develop: 

1. Reach Level 3: Connectedness comes first, so before pursuing Level 4, ensure you've achieved Level 3. Connected insights are what provides the foundation for acceleration.

2. Build technical infrastructure: Level 4 requires sophisticated technical capabilities. Invest in data platforms that enable continuous connection and automated analysis.

3. Develop organizational capability: Level 4 isn't just about technology. It's about embedding insights thinking throughout the organization. Train non-insights professionals to consume and act on insights effectively.

4. Create feedback loops: Replace periodic research with continuous conversation. Build systems that capture consumer response to business actions and feed that learning back into strategy.

By focusing on developing these four areas, you’ll set yourself up for success in Level 4. But to ensure you get there, you’ll also need buy-in from business leaders and stakeholders.

Ultimately, the CEO is key in the success of a Level 4 approach, but they won’t do it alone. 

Level 4 requires concrete collaboration between the CEO, CMO and insights function. Organizations need this three-way partnership in order to succeed as each brings essential capabilities:

This partnership is critical because traditional boundaries can blur in Level 4, making  shared accountability the path toward success. 

CEOs must hold CMOs accountable for consumer-driven business outcomes, not just marketing metrics. CMOs must ensure insights teams influence business strategy, not just campaign tactics. Insights teams must deliver business impact, not just research reports.

Let’s go through each of these roles. 

For CEOs

Level 4 transformation can’t happen from the bottom up. It requires CEO leadership, vision and commitment. 

While insights teams and CMOs provide expertise and execution, the CEO must be the primary driver of organizational evolution toward consumer-centric architecture.

Our data reveals that connected organizations achieve significantly higher satisfaction of the insights function as well as the relationship between insights and marketing. In Level 4, this translates to fundamental competitive advantage. CEOs who fail to drive this transformation will watch competitors with embedded consumer intelligence outmaneuver them in real-time market responses.

With 44% of companies hiring for AI and data integration roles, CEOs are already committing significant resources to technological transformation. But without CEO-driven consumer focus, these investments risk becoming expensive automation projects that miss market opportunities.s a CEO driving the Level 4 agenda, focus 

As a CEO driving the Level 4 agenda, focus on:

• Setting the vision: CEOs must articulate why consumer-centricity drives business success. This isn't about being customer-friendly — it's about competitive survival in AI-accelerated markets.

• Allocating resources: Level 4 requires investment in technology, talent and organizational change. CEOs must allocate budgets that reflect consumer insights as infrastructure, not expense.

• Modeling the behavior: CEOs must visibly use consumer insights in strategic decisions. When CEOs reference consumer data in board meetings and strategic planning, the organization follows.

• Removing barriers: CEOs must actively eliminate organizational barriers to Level 4 transformation. This means overruling departmental resistance and legacy system protection.

For CMOs

Shifting gears, how can CMOs position themselves to support the triad? 

CMOs and other marketing leaders looking to support the CEO in the path toward Level 4 should focus on these key areas:

• Championing insights elevation: Use your relationship with the CEO to elevate insights from tactical support to strategic partnership. Advocate for insights representation in strategy discussions and board presentations.

• Sharing strategic context: Provide insights teams with business strategy context they need to deliver relevant intelligence. Share competitive intelligence, market expansion plans and strategic priorities.

• Creating CEO awareness: Include insights leaders in CEO interactions. When presenting consumer strategy to the CEO, bring insights partners to demonstrate their strategic value directly.

• Modeling integration behavior: Show other departments how to effectively partner with insights. Your relationship with insights teams becomes the template for organization-wide collaboration.

For insights teams: 

Finally, insights professionals looking to support the CEO in the path toward Level 4 should focus on these key areas:

• Speaking CEO language: Transform consumer insights into business language. Instead of "satisfaction scores increased 12%," say "consumer satisfaction improvements correlate with 3% revenue growth based on historical analysis." Connect every insight to financial or operational outcomes.

• Anticipating strategic questions: CEOs think about competitive positioning, market expansion and shareholder value. Position insights to answer: How do consumer trends create new market opportunities? Which competitor moves should we anticipate based on consumer behavior? What consumer shifts threaten our current business model?

• Becoming a business intelligence partner: Don't wait for research requests. Proactively surface consumer insights that influence strategic decisions. If you notice consumer behavior shifting toward sustainability, brief the CEO before competitors announce environmental initiatives.

• Quantifying integration ROI: Help CEOs understand the financial benefits of connected insights. Calculate the cost of duplicated research efforts, missed opportunities from slow decision-making and revenue potential from faster consumer response.

Developing these areas will not only help you on the path to making a case for Level 4, but also set you up for success once you reach it.

Level 4 represents the next frontier — where consumer insights become organizational DNA. 

Level 4 companies won't just have connected insights, they'll have accelerated consumer responsiveness. Right now, the question isn't whether to pursue connected insights; the question is how quickly you can move from fragmented to connected to accelerated.

For a deeper look into Level 4, including how to make the business case to CEOs, as well as a complete overview of the current state of connected insights download our report.