Analysis and requirements definition
Inventory of the data landscape
Start by analyzing your existing data infrastructure and landscape. Identify the various data sources, databases, systems and applications where your master data is stored. Take an inventory of existing data objects such as customers, products, suppliers, employees, etc.
Business Process Analysis
Analyze your business processes and identify the roles and departments that work with master data. Capture how the data is used in the various processes, from capture to validation to use in reports or transactions.
Define data requirements
Work closely with business users to identify the requirements for your master data. Ask about the required data attributes, formats, validations, and rules for each type of data. Also define data quality, consistency, and timeliness requirements.
Data relationships and dependencies
Identify the relationships and dependencies between different data objects. Understand how changes to one data object can affect other data objects. This is important to develop a suitable data model and make data integration effective.
Compliance requirements
Consider the regulatory requirements of your industry, such as data protection laws or product labeling regulations. Ensure that the MDM system is able to meet these requirements and manage the data accordingly.
Prioritization of requirements
Prioritize identified requirements based on their business criticality, customer needs, and business goals. Define clear goals and measurable metrics to evaluate the success of the implementation.
Involve stakeholders
Ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the analysis process. These may include IT experts, business users, data managers, executives, and compliance officers. A comprehensive understanding of the requirements from different perspectives contributes to successful implementation.
Thorough analysis and definition of requirements is a crucial first step to ensure that the MDM system meets your specific needs and business processes. It forms the basis for the following steps of system selection, data modeling and implementation.
Cover Photo: (freepik.com)