On Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 6:41 AM, Mullen, James L <
[log in to unmask]>

>
> Over the past couple of years I've been noticing more articles and
> pitches revolving around MDM (Master Data Management).  It has not
> filtered through our company yet to my knowledge, but I'm wondering how
> it is affecting RIM practices in general across the board.  Is it a
> concept we should be looking at for bettering the management of
> information?  Is it a fad?  Is it something we can learn from?  Is it
> something we should be recommending our organizations shy away from?
>

While Wikipedia isn't always the most accurate or robust source of
legitimate information, it's sometimes a good starting point for gathering
info about a "concept"  http://goo.gl/XCXrS

So I won't say that "MDM" is a bunch of hooey or marketing gobbledy-gook,
but it appears to be much more of an IT/System Administrator term used to
describe certain types of information assets an organization has that don't
fall into clearly defined categories. It also sounds like the same "stuff"
that we've been hearing the need to develop "Information Governance
Strategies" to address over the past 3-4 years.

I'm thinking this is one of those things that depending on what side of the
equation your work on, we could essentially be calling the same thing by
different names.  Where IT sees the need to address aspects of MDM to
perform certain functions in their realm, we as RIMs need to ensure the
Information Governance Model developed for the organization takes into
account all itmes included in this MDM as information assets that need to be
governed.

What was a bit confusing in the article Peter linked was it talks about "MDM
software vendors" as if there are many of them, but it also quantifies data
for growth of inquiries, etc as beign over a 3-year period, so the term is
relatively recent in use.  I have to wonder though if it's not a combination
of those in the storage and data management space who are looking at ways to
get their arms around the whole 'sea of information' that exists within
organizations, simply to determine what they need to do with it in a
physical sense.

When you read the Wiki piece, it talks about how mergers and acquisitions
are part of what impacts this issue and the use of de-duplication to resolve
some of the issues... but as we know from the RIM side, de-dupe can also
cause other problems by not CLEARLY identifying EXACT dupes prior to
removing or consolidating them, and in cases of legal actions, it goes
completely against holds.

The Forester report, like ALL Forester reports, is not cheap
http://goo.gl/MY39p and is the second such report this specific analyst has
written (last one was 6mos ago, so must be time for another $500, right?)
but rearing the synopsis, the Wiki piece and a few other things,

I would put the question to your IT folks and ask them if THEY are looking
at MDM as a practice or not.  If you have a CIO, I would suggest that
whoever you (RIM) reports to talk to the CIO and ask if you're looking at
developing an Information Governance Strategy as an organization and if so,
does MDM (as a concept) play a role in that

It sorta sounds like MDM is the "What is it and what do we do with it" and
IG is "What do we have and HOW do we best manage it based on its value".

Larry
[log in to unmask]
-- 
*Lawrence J. Medina
Danville, CA
RIM Professional since 1972*

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]