For the phased implementation of a new ERP system, the parent company of a spice supplier needed external data consultancy. Data Management Consultants from Tentive developed a plan of action for the organisation. Management decided to already clean up, de-duplicate, harmonise and enrich the data to be migrated in preparation for the 2nd phase of the process: the actual implementation of the new ERP system.
Guaranteeing a high level of data quality
Tentive was awarded the contract to develop a plan of action regarding all these activities. It also had to define a clear data management strategy that, once the ERP system was implemented, would guarantee a high level of data quality.
The execution of the assignment started with getting to the bottom of the client’s corporate vision and strategy, through interviews with key stakeholders. The input was then translated into a pragmatic data management strategy. The next step in the process was to develop and install a specific data governance function for the spice supplier.
Interactive process mapping workshops
The data owners were then identified, through a process model defined by the parent company in the future and in accordance with the data governance function. To ensure this identification was done properly, all the organisation’s processes were documented in detail using interactive process mapping workshops with stakeholders. In these workshops, the most important “as-is” and “to-be” processes were defined, in order to align and integrate the data governance strategy as fully as possible. In this way, it became clear, who would be the responsible party.
Then, the data governance structure was further developed through the following steps:
– The development of data definitions for the most important data objects (products, customers and suppliers) including metadata and rules & guidelines;
– Validation of data definitions by process owners and executive management;
– Developing and validating data policies & procedures;
– Guiding user groups tasked with cleaning, de-duplicating, harmonising and enriching data from legacy system, in line with validated data definitions;
– Developing data quality performance metrics (KPIs).
The successful communication of the data management strategy and data governance function within the organisation was the final step of this assignment.
Conclusion
The implementation of the activities of the action plan was successful under Tentive’s guidance. It resulted in optimisation of data quality for the data to be migrated and a sustainable governance function to ensure data quality in the future.
During the process, it turned out that the customer intimacy culture and structure desired by management were not secured and insufficiently clear, Tentive implemented a best practice “Sales &Operations Planning” methodology in addition to the original assignment, creating a collaborative platform. This ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal (customer intimacy), that there is clarity on roles & responsibilities resulting in maximisation of revenue & margin and minimisation of costs. Tentive played an important facilitating role in setting up and implementing the S&OP methodology, to the full satisfaction of the client.
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