Data Governance & MDM: Why Bother?
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Marty examines why we bother with MDM and data governance
Isn’t Data Governance just a pain in the gluteus maximus? I mean, all the work we have to do to justify data governance initiatives, and it seems that we never are able to achieve the results we promised, and the work is always plagued by corner cases that’ll drive a person insane, and people give up before achieving something of real value.
What’s the point? (Oh, and you could ask similar questions about MDM, BI, SOA and any number of related topics.)
Well, I’m starting on a new tack in my blogging and writing about DG, MDM, SOA, etc. That is, I’m going to tie the value of what we do to something I’ve very excited about – A Smarter Planet.
Yes, it is a lot of “vision stuff” and what some folks might consider “fluff.” But without it, aren’t we just allowing technologies to randomly evolve with no bigger ultimate purpose? Without a guiding vision, aren’t we just allowing the “the urgent” to overshadow “the important” and direct how we use technologies?
We’re already living in an infinitely more connected world than twenty years ago, so why wouldn’t we evolve our interdependence on technologies to help us shape smarter transportation systems, smarter utilities, smarter communications, smarter libraries, smarter healthcare and smarter cities?
If we accept the basic premise that technologies will continue to unite us and help us create a “flatter world” as Thomas Friedman wrote about in his book, “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,” then why wouldn’t that be a motivator for us to work towards achieving a smarter planet?
So, I’m going to be switching my focus to tying the topics I’ve written about in the past to how they help us achieve a smarter planet. Some associations are common sense, but others will require some pondering.
Data Governance, Master Data Management and A Smarter Planet
One of the things I’ve written quite a bit about in the past is the topic of drawing a direct “line of sight” from the values provided by MDM and DG to business objectives that motivate executives to invest in changes in organizations’ behaviors.
Now I’m going to tie the benefits of DG & MDM to the higher-order goals of a smarter planet. I would not advise you taking these benefits directly to your executive committees of MDM and DG and use them to help justify your initiatives – your MDM and DG initiatives have to survive on measurable benefits that affect today’s and tomorrow’s bottom lines.
In that regard, building towards a smarter planet might be considered “gravy” and actually blow up in your face (it’s like egg on your face but gooier – don’t ask how I know that). But just as any experienced architect will do, you must always strike a balance between “short-term” and “long-term” objectives/capabilities.
The question here is: how “long” is the “long” in your “long term” roadmap?
In your industry, can you see opportunities for being a little entrepreneurial and breaking some barriers? Do you have the courage to think outside the naturally conservative planning for future growth inside your company and industry? Can you identify opportunities to bridge gaps in supply chains and value chains, in anticipation of significant advances in business models inside your industry?
Said another way, where are the opportunities to apply new technologies and advancements that benefit your customers, employees, providers and benefactors?
In 2002, I was a chief architect at a significant consumer software company. I was suggesting a long term need for capabilities that would be present on peoples’ cell phones, believing that we would see a significant jump in adoption of mobile computing and creation of a mobile “cell phone” computing platform.
I was surprised when other chief architects scoffed at the idea, saying, “Oh, we’ll never see people doing <this> on their cell phones!” Now, this company has a whole group of inventors, architects and engineers building apps for these platforms.
I’m not always right, but I’m always asking the question, “Where could this lead in the future?” and, “Of what value could this be to ordinary folks five and ten years from now?” What we do matters not only today, but should matter tomorrow and next year and next decade.
So are you ready to take this journey together?
Next blog, we’ll dive in! (Check out Ideas Towards Smarter Healthcare.)
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I couldn't agree more, Marty. We are building a smarter, more collaborative planet. The human race will be able to go further and achieve more if we can properly manage our data. If data champions were put on this planet to have a purpose, surely some of us must have been put here to tackle this one. Great post.
Hi Marty,
I love the concept, and I agree we should strive for building a smarter, more collaborative planet. Data Governance, MDM, BI etc. provide the building blocks for informed decisions.
Some areas will be easier to succeed in than others. The ease of success will be related to the source of original data. When data is supplied "automatically" (e.g. by sensors, traffic flow systems etc) - it will be relatively easy to ensure the data is "appropriate", "complete" and "accurate".
However, when data is manually entered, as in customer information, it will continue to be a challenge to ensure the data is "appropriate", "complete" and "accurate".
I look forward to reading your series, and I hope you address the above distinct scenarios.
Rgds Ken
Steve and Ken -
Thanks so much for your encouragement!
Not everyone sees the bigger oppty, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be striving for larger gains.
I look forward to your help and ideas along the way!!!
Cheers!
What a great post Marty! The people and organizations who work this way will be the ones left after the others fail. At least that's what I keep telling everyone
There are still sooooo many leaders who are afraid of change. Why is that? How did these people get to be leaders in the first place? And the ones who do have the courage to speak out with new ideas and concepts, like you say, get pushed out by the rest.
Our strategy is like Dory [Finding Nemo] says: just keep swimming....just keep swimming..., as even if the concept gets pushed aside, some of the initial work is probably going to be re-used, or built upon, which is better than nothing at all.
Thanks again!
Hey Jill -
How great for you to pitch in!!! I love following your thoughts etc, and am grateful you'd weigh in.
This IS an exciting series (did you see my first post yesterday on Smarter Healthcare?).
I know, as you and others do, about overly-conservative leaders (are they truly "leaders" or more "managers?"). I've seen and worked w/ my fair share of these folks, and some just refuse to do anything with any risk associated with it. But there are also a significant number of folks who are suspicious of new ideas because they can't defend them. In other words, they don't feel confident enough in their own ability to defend the ideas, because they don't fully understand them.
Do you think part of it is our fault in not conveying the importance and upside potential of these ideas so that they can grok them and own them? I kindof think we're to blame in part - or at least that we can do better to see the benefits of our ideas in terms that they understand...
I'd love to know your thoughts!
WRT A Smarter Planet - yes, I know I sound like I've been "blue-washed" but I also resonate w/ the vision - I'd love your ideas!!!
Have a stellar weekend!!!
Cheers
Wow Marty! I love pitching in so good thing you're ok with it!
On your point regarding leaders (lets call them mleaders for 'manager leaders') who perhaps don't understand enough about the new ideas to defend them. I believe that leaders don't need to understand everything. How can they? What they need to do is trust their people. There job is to pave the way, remove the roadblocks, let their people speak for themselves. That, to me, is a real leader! I am just amazed every day at how many of these mleaders do nothing but put up roadblocks. Day in day out. It just boggles my mind the amount of $$$ this costs the business!
On your comment regarding our ability to sell the idea to them in a way that they can understand, I agree. We do need to do a better job. We need to use the language they use and identify the benefits to them. Influence 101 - identify the benefits to the person you are trying to influence. You can always find some. But in order to do that you need to have a really good idea of where that persons head is at. The first question I ask any leader (or anyone else for that matter) I am working with is "what is it you really need to do this year and what is causing you the most pain". And (like you say in almost every single post) always keep going back to the benefits to the business and how whatever it is you need to do will help them achieve their goals.
I do go on...I could rant about this for hours
And finally, I haven't yet read the first in the series as I am slowly catching up from holidays. It's (of course) on my list at the top!
Thanks for the great response Marty, it is always a pleasure to read your posts!
And every weekend is steller...it's a weekend right?
P.s. My leader? He is awesome. An enabler, a roadblock remover, he trusts me to do my thing. Am I lucky or what?