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In the last few years, I've witnessed many viewpoints regarding the implementation strategy for an MDM project, ranging from a single departmental reporting solution to enterprise-focused implementations looking to create a 360-degree view of the business. But regardless of scope, one or more of the following five key pitfalls will lead to a failed program if they are not addressed at the forefront of any implementation strategy.
Pitfall 1: Lack of Executive Buy-In
MDM serves as the language of a business. It represents the crucial reference data that defines the dimensions of an organization and how its associates should report information. It's common for a single business unit to embark on an MDM implementation focusing solely on how they define their data elements and entities. Trouble arises when this activity detracts from a corporate standard or produces information inconsistent with the viewpoint of senior leadership. For an MDM implementation to be successful, senior stakeholders must see the value of the initiative and act in an enforcement role to ensure accountability amongst various stakeholders. This is especially true when process re-engineering and data governance initiatives come into play.
Pitfall 2: Not Focusing on Business Processes
It's common to think...