Strategy and Governance
EDM requires a strategic approach to choosing the right processes, technologies and resources (i.e. data owners, governance, stewardship, data analysts and data architects). EDM is a challenge for organizations because it requires alignment among multiple stakeholders (including IT, operations, finance, strategy and end-users) and relates to an area (creation and use of common data) that has not traditionally had a clear “owner.”
The governance challenge can be a big obstacle to the implementation of an effective EDM because of the difficulties associated with providing a business case on the benefits of data management. The core of the challenge is due to the fact that data quality has no intrinsic value. It is an enabler of other processes and the true benefits of effective data management are systematic and intertwined with other processes. This makes it hard to quantify all the downstream implications or upstream improvements.
The difficulties associated with quantification of EDM benefits translate into challenges with the positioning of EDM as an organizational priority. Achieving organizational alignment on the importance of data management (as well as managing data as an ongoing area of focus) is the domain of governance. In recent years the establishment of an EDM and the EDM governance practice has become commonplace despite these difficulties.
Read more about this topic: Enterprise Data Management
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