Andrew White

Scoreline: MDM 2 v Business Applications 1

Over the last few weeks I have met with many end user organizations that continue to struggle with “making MDM work well with ERP” systems.  And when say ERP systems, I mean “any business application”.  The problem is that many, if not all, business application bring with them baggage that includes data validation and other business rules that govern how data, including master data, is entered.  Sometimes this means rules that interact with a user when they sit in front of a screen adding a new product code; other times it means rules that are involved when a file is electronically received from a supplier; other times it is parsing and cleansing (and enrichment) of data as (order management) transactions hit up against a customer master file.  In all cases, rules exist in business applications.  The problem is, when an organizations decides that MDM is in their future, they soon have to wrestle with the “where do I author” and “where do I validate” master data.  And business applications just don’t get along with each other, let alone MDM solutions.

This is, of course, not new news to you.  Ever since the deployment of the second business application, back in the middle 1970’s, master data and associated rules was replicated.  The problem has been festering away for years; it has become for many organizations a chronic problem, not an acute problem.  Hence the insidious part of this is that though IT might perceive there is a need for MDM, the business may not see it as clearly.

So what will the future hold?  We came up with the idea of applications that will be “MDM aware” a few years ago.  The concept is not exactly earth-shattering, but it certainly is important.  If we think about how to create an environment, probably services based, where applications “come and go” and a common, shared infrastructure takes account of where data is, where it is needed, where it is created, and where it should be used, we can figure out what needs to change in application architecture.  As such, “MDM aware” applications are those that recognize that MDM as a distinct discipline will emerge in their environment, and to “play well with it”, they need to change.  

• That part of the data model that represents master data, and applications specific master data, needs to be separated, and externalized, so that 3^rd party metadata management, MDM, and newly emerging governance applications to identity, reconcile and manage data design.
• Data reconciliation and harmonization tasks, centralized in MDM solutions (for master data) need to have external applications publish and subscribe to the MDM hub.  This may need some mature service bus; but at least the idea that, at attribute level, publishers and subscribers need to be explicitly modeled and supported in MDM, is clear.
• Governance applications, such as those evolving in the MDM market, need to model more than just master data for which they are directly responsible for. Governance needs to be aware of application specific data; even if stewardship is concerns with management of day to master data.  As master data definitions change, as the business change, so governance tools need to support the dynamic needs of managing master data.

This might seem pie-in-the-sky stuff, and we need to realize that this is not another attempt at wall to wall data modeling, or universal data modeling.  This is focused; this is specific.  It starts with master data, and needs to be aware of the immediate surroundings, in order to sustain application needs, and to interact with the future changing environment.

It will take a long time for “MDM aware” applications to emerge, but emerge they will.  We know of a few that are capable of such distinction, even if the MDM tools they integrate too are not yet mature enough to manage the data within them.  But if business is to achieve and sustain “single view” across a complex, heterogeneous landscape, this has to happen.  Maybe it will start in earnest with “vendor compliance” programs; or large dominant industry leaders requiring it in their architectural blue prints.  But it will happen.

Will we all be a lot greyer and older?  What do you think?

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Category: Application Architecture ERP MDM Aware     Tags: Business Applications, ERP, Governance, MDM, MDM Aware

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