Data Platform – An Important Pillar of Digital Transformation

Silos limit the view of opportunities and challenges

The second reason often cited is that users see many analytical solutions as silos. Because a common view of the various data in the company is missing, potential for new services and leaner processes is wasted. Certain data and correlations can be analyzed here. For the user, neighboring domains are missing and cannot be supplemented by simple means. Here, the well-known reference in the Excel – Warehouse is rampant. We all know endless meetings in which uniform definitions are fruitlessly argued over. The construction of the various enterprise data warehouses was costly, not least because of such coordination processes. The technology gives you direct access to the source data. This clarifies data sovereignty, and we have unambiguous data definitions. Today, it is easy to look at processes with the same eye. This is the prerequisite for interdisciplinary teams to work together efficiently. Where there is value, the efforts to build the core data platform are worthwhile. Highly motivated teams from different parts of the business speak the same language and understand the relationships through appropriate data models. Appropriate documentation helps identify relationships. High quality data as well as metadata justifies trust in the solution. I like to refer to the core data platform as the factory mode. It is typical that the structure setup is a bit more complex, but the solution operation is stable and efficient. I’m thinking here of solutions for year-end closing, monthly reporting, and so on. Central solutions are not the right place to try something out quickly or to freeze the data stock for a certain time. Preparing data differently for exactly one use case usually takes two – three weeks, during which each update of the data destroys the interim result. Some hypothesis need this time. In addition to the central factory, there needs to be an addition of a sandbox (which is often referred to as a laboratory in analogy to the factory). We all know that the world can hardly be divided into black and white. Certain requirements are subject to constant change. Let’s just think of our colleagues in marketing. The ink under the concepts is usually not even dry when the first changes are already emerging. And in truth, this is not due to the inability and ill will of those involved, but rather the requirements are constantly changing, and good employees always have new ideas. Not every idea delivers what it promises at the beginning, but nobody knows in advance which idea will be the one that will bring the breakthrough. These are productive applications whose constant adaptation is a constant side effect. I like to talk about the workshop mode of an application. In order to run such an application well and efficiently, it is definitely worthwhile to build on stable structures from the basic model. It is just as important to build on this with flexible structures without introducing unrest into the basic structure. A modern data platform is characterized by the fact that these three important operating modes – laboratory, workshop and factory – are possible. In addition to the added value provided by integrated functions and data typical of SAP systems, users need touchdown points to implement their creative ideas with the tools of their choice.