Integrated Modelling Method

Processes Do NOT Create Data!

John Owens — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:36:19 +0000

I was recently asked to provide guidance on mapping how data is shared across different stages of Business Processes in order to achieve the greatest reuse possible. This was my answer. One of the most important things to emphasise when looking at data usage across an enterprise is that Business Processes do NOT create, transform [...]

Social Media Identies? No! Social Media Personas

John Owens — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:41:56 +0000

In a recent discussion of Linkedin on MDM and Social Media Profiles one commenter proposed that “After MDM has matched the social identity to a customer’s corporate identity in a CRM system, I would call it a ‘trusted social identity’ (TSI)”. Having read this, I commented that I thought that ‘trusted social identity’ or (TSI) [...]

MDM Webinars & Online Training

John Owens — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:54:56 +0000

I am putting together a series of webinars and online training courses in Master Data Management (MDM) and I would value your input. The first series will be centered around the major of Product. This will include looking at and defining the major Product Categories, which are: MDM Internal Product Manufactured Product This product is [...]

The Phantom Entities of Customer and Supplier

John Owens — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:49:21 +0000

It is amazing how much is spoken and written about Customer and Supplier, especially as they do not exist - they are Phantom Entities! Read more at There's No Such Thing as Customer. Recently, in a response to a comment on The Pathology of Business & Data Modelling I was addressing this topic once again and thought it would be useful to produce some models that show how Customer and Supplier are in fact Roles played by the entity Party.

The Pathology of Business & Data Modelling

John Owens — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:55:21 +0000

Before you start building you next business or data model, find out what it was that infected or killed your last one! Business and data models continue to be built in enterprises year after year. All of them come to life after a great deal of pain and effort. Most of them cause yet far [...]

Data Quality, MDM and the Art of Sex

John Owens — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 03:52:32 +0000

In a recent discussion with some colleagues on Data Quality and Master Data Management we all expressed our bafflement as to why there was so much confusion out there surrounding theses relatively straightforward subjects and why, in the twenty first century, so many practitioners were using such archaic and flawed approaches. One those present said [...]

Don’t Look in Existing Data for Master Data Entities

John Owens — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:14:05 +0000

Why not? Because it is about as effective as looking in the dumpster outside a restaurant for the ingredients for a gourmet meal. In my last articles on the major errors made in Master Data Management (MDM), I explained how most MDM projects start in the wrong place and then head off in the wrong [...]

Information Gathering 2: Analysis Workshops – The Key to Detail

John Owens — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:30:37 +0000

The purpose of analysis workshops is to add detail to the information gathered during strategic one-to-one interviews with senior executives. They are NOT the starting point for analysis. The content of this post is an excerpt from the eBook IMM Function Modelling

Information Gathering 1: Strategic Interviews the Foundation of Success

John Owens — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:54:32 +0000

The one-to-one strategic in-depth interview is the most effective means of gathering information from senior directors and senior executives and are the foundation of all successful system development and business improvement projects. The following content is an excerpt from the eBook IMM Function Modelling The purpose of one-to-one strategic in-depth interviews is to find out [...]

If I Wanted to Get to Dublin I Wouldn’t Start from Here: Part 1

John Owens — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:53:01 +0000

It seems that most Master Data Management (MDM) projects are starting in the wrong place and heading in the wrong direction! They fail to build and use that essential and most powerful of MDM tools, the Logical Data Model (LDM). This approach is about as productive and effective as building a ship without a keel! This is the first of three posts that explain what the problems are and how top avoid them.