PHASE 3

Develop a Data Architecture Roadmap

Modernize Data Architecture for Measurable Business Results

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 Phase 3: Develop a data architecture roadmap

Create an Assess Gaps &

Plan Project Assess Capabilities Develop a Roadmap
Architectural Vision Formulate Strategies

Create a Project Plan Assess “as is” Data

Including: Architecture Capabilities
Identify the Business’s Assess Gaps and
• Scope and objectives Evaluate the following: Develop
Data Requirements • Practice capabilities Formulate Strategies
• Resourcing Initiatives for Data
• Sponsorship Outputs • Data architecture Architecture
Outputs
• Oversight body and capabilities
reporting process • Data lineage capabilities Outputs
Data Prioritized Gap
Outputs Requirements • Data delivery capabilities Analysis Documented
Outputs Strategies Initiatives
Defined Terms of
Reference Documentation of
baseline capabilities
Assess Initiative
Feasibility
Create a Data Determine Target
Architecture Vision Capabilities

Outputs Outputs Create a

Data Architecture Target Capabilities Roadmap for Data
Vision (Specs) Architecture
Modernization
Outcome
Data
Architecture
Roadmap

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Navigate the 3 phases of the blueprint using this table of
contents
Phase 1:
Create a Data Architecture Vision
Step 1.1: Plan your data
architecture modernization project
Template: Modernize Data
Architecture Project Charter
Step 1.2: Translate the business’s
drivers and strategies into a data
architecture strategy
Template: Data Architecture Strategic
Planning Workbook
Phase 2: Assess Phase 3: Create a Data Architecture
Data Architecture Capabilities Roadmap
Tool: Data Architecture Assessment Step 3.1: Develop a data
and Roadmap Tool architecture roadmap
Step 2.1: Assess the capabilities of Template: Data Architecture
the data architecture practice Roadmap Presentation Template
Step 2.2: Assess your enterprise
data model (EDM)
Step 2.3: Assess and plan the
capabilities of each related
architecture
Step 2.4: Assess your
organization’s dynamic data
architecture models
Step 2.5: Assess performance gaps
Template: Initiative Definition Tool
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Guided Implementation for Phase 3 Content
Call 1-888-670-8889 or email GuidedImplementations@InfoTech.com for more information.

Complete these steps on your own, or call us to complete a guided implementation. A guided implementation is a series of 2-
3 advisory calls that help you execute each phase of a project. They are included in most advisory memberships.

Guided Implementation 3: Develop a data architecture roadmap

Proposed Time to Completion (in weeks): 2-8 weeks

Step 3.1: Develop a data architecture roadmap Step 3.1: Develop a data architecture roadmap
Start with an analyst kick-off call: Review findings with analyst:
• Review the improvement initiatives planned during Step 2.5 • Discuss roadmap plans
• Discuss how the findings will be submitted to the project’s
oversight committee

Then complete these activities… Then complete these activities…

• Identify the sequencing and timelines expected for the • Present the project’s findings and next steps to the
initiatives project’s oversight body
• Plot the initiatives on a roadmap

With these tools & templates: With these tools & templates:
Data Architecture Assessment and Roadmap Tool Modernize Data Architecture Roadmap Presentation
Initiative Definition Tool Template
Modernize Data Architecture Roadmap Presentation
Template

Phase 3 Results & Insights:

• Completion of a strategic roadmap

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Step 3.1: Develop a data architecture roadmap

1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3
. . . . . . . .
1 2 1 2 3 4 5 1
Activities
Outcomes
3.1.1 Map initiatives
A completed and approved data
3.1.2 Build a data architecture roadmap architecture roadmap
3.1.3 Organize project findings
Research Support
3.1.4 Identify metrics to measure value of the data • Modernize Data Architecture Roadmap
architecture practice Presentation Template
3.1.5 Have the oversight body approve your project • Data Architecture Assessment and
findings and roadmap Roadmap Tool

Participants in this Step

Benefits
Project Manager
The strategic roadmap has been
created, taking into account
Project Sponsor constraints, priorities, and
dependencies.
Project Team The roadmap has been reviewed and
approved by the oversight body and
Oversight Body can begin to be implemented.

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 3.1.1

Translate your data architecture initiatives into a strategic

roadmap
Plot the timelines for executing the improvement initiatives identified in Phase 2.
Consider priorities and dependencies between initiatives as you build your roadmap.

Year 1 Q1 Year 1 Q2 Year 1 Q3 Year 1 Q4 Year 2 Q1 Year 2 Q2 Year 2 Q3 Year 2 Q4 Year 3 Q1

Evaluate staff Create training plan to

Formalize Data Architecture Practice
competencies address competency gaps

EDW Capability Metadata Architecture Capability

Improvement Initiative Improvement Initiative

EDM Capability Data Modeling

Improvement Initiative Techniques Training

Address performance gaps in data delivery model

Improve Data Architecture
Interaction Matrices

[ Example Roadmap ]

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 3.1.1

Use transition/effort mapping to support your timeline

planning
Activity: Workshop Mapping Exercise

Unfortunately, most organizations don’t have unlimited Benefit

resources and time to dedicate to improving their data Communication
Formalize
Plan for DA
architecture. As a result, prioritizing and sequencing Practice
Capabilities
Formalize
initiative projects based on feasibility and benefits can Oversight
High
Competency
help to create immediate value and help your team in Improvement
maintaining momentum as they implement longer Data Plan Program
running initiatives. Modeling
Techniques
Training
Metadata
Architecture
INSTRUCTIONS Improvements
Staff
Competency
Evaluation
Improve
1. Evaluate the different initiatives planned by the Interaction
Effort Matrices
team to address performance gaps in the Low High
EDW Capability
organization’s data architecture. Improvements
2. Consider the constraints, effort, and benefits
associated with each project. Using these
considerations, plot the initiatives on an Effort
Map. (Customize how this activity is performed if Improve
Interaction
necessary. If it better suits project planning, Matrices
change the axis to reflect risk or time required.)
3. Use the findings of this map to help sequence Low
and stage your initiatives on a timeline that best
aligns with business priorities and implementation [ Example Initiative Mapping Exercise ]
capabilities.

Use these activity findings as a reference as you build your strategic roadmap

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 3.1.2

Build a roadmap from your documented initiatives that

considers priorities, dependencies, and feasibility
Materials: Data Architecture Assessment and Roadmap Tool

Use the Gantt Chart functionality on tab 5. Scorecard and

Roadmap to plot your initiatives on a roadmap.
INSTRUCTIONS Tool Overview
After you document the initiative projects associated with
1. Review the initiatives developed for each of the each of the recommended action items, the title of the
recommended action items. project is automatically populated in the table in columns
2. In the table from columns AV to AY on tab 5. Scorecard AV to AY. Use this table for each component of data
and Roadmap, plot the projected start and end dates architecture to document the initiatives.
for each initiative.
3. As you select the timelines for each initiative, consider
the volume of work, investment requirements, and
dependencies associated with the project.
4. Document findings in the tool or as needed to develop
your documentation format to present your final project
deliverables.

Input Output Participants

Planned initiatives from Data Architecture • Project Manager

Step 2.5 Roadmap • Project Team
As needed: Topical Tab 5. Scorecard and Roadmap
SMEs

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The Mayo Clinic took an incremental approach to ensure
its EIM initiative achieved its mission
Industry Healthcare
CASE STUDY Source
Journal of American Medical Info
rmatics Association

The Mayo Clinic Performed Clear Due Diligence and

Planning
To make its Enterprise Information Management initiative successful, the Takeaway Lessons
Mayo Clinic required strong planning, full-time resourcing, time
Reuse artifacts to
investments, technical expertise, and strong executive sponsorship.
create consistent
Implementation Approach and streamlined
outcomes
To achieve the objectives of bringing order to the data environment,
normalizing data modeling, and promoting information consistency across Consider
the enterprise, they needed an incremental approach. The organization dependencies as
delivered impactful results by sequencing projects within the initiative, you design and
prioritizing based on business strategy and a deep understanding of sequence initiatives
dependencies.
Maintain an
Business Alignment understanding of
Mayo Clinic implemented their EIM project while maintaining an business requirements
understanding of business requirements. This is best shown by their first throughout a project’s
project of modeling and integration sequencing being focused on critical planning and
elements around the Patient Concept. Subsequent projects in modeling re- execution
used the findings of this project and those directly following in order to build
the normalized and integrated data view sought by the business.

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 3.1.3

Organize your project findings and data architecture

roadmap into a presentable format

Prerequisites
INSTRUCTIONS
Completion of planned
Showcase the findings of your project to gain critical stakeholder support and approval for initiatives and creation
implementing the initiatives in your roadmap. of the project’s Data
Architecture Roadmap

Input
Modernize Data Architecture Roadmap Presentation Template
• Tab 5. Scorecard and
Roadmap findings
• Initiative Definition
To prepare your team to showcase the Tool documentation
findings of your project, include:
Output
 Data Architecture Vision Project findings ready
 Diagnostic Assessment Results for presentation to the
 Dynamic Model Evaluation Findings project’s oversight body
 Key Performance Gaps
 Initiative Plans Materials
 Data Architecture Roadmap
Modernize Data
 Transition Map Planning
Architecture Roadmap
Presentation Template
Participants
• Project Manager
• Relevant project
members

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 3.1.4

Determine the methods for evaluating the performance

of your improved data architecture practice
3.1.4 Activity: Brainstorming meeting led by Project Manager

INSTRUCTIONS The value of data

architecture is not from
its presence, but
As you complete your project and transition to implementing initiatives instead from its ability
and governing the practice, identify metrics that illustrate the benefits of to support data being
the organization’s practice and its improvements. available at the
business level.

Consider the following metrics as options for evaluating the performance

and value of data architecture.
Practice Performance
• Number of projects
citing issues with
fulfilling data
requirements or data
architecture acting as a
barrier to completing
their project (change
over time)
The Impact of Data
Data Modeling User Satisfaction Architecture
76% of mid-sized
• Number of strategic • Satisfaction of key organizations surveyed
business areas business units with
by Info-Tech cited that
supported by the EDM the data available
• Percentage of to their department poor data architecture
coverage by the EDM documentation increases
• Number of redundant the complexity of projects
data instances in the and has delayed project
data model timelines.
• Time wasted rekeying
data

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 3.1.5

Submit your roadmap to your ARB or Data Governance

Steering Committee for review and approval

Use the presentation created in step 3.1.4 to show your

project’s findings and recommended roadmap to your ARB (or
identified oversight body).
As needed, revise plans
to align with their
expectations and
recommendations.
Multiple Domain Reviews
Your project’s findings and initiative plans
will inevitably have implications for the
four additional architecture domains. To
help maintain congruence and to conduct
proper change management, have the
different domains review initiative plans to
ensure they align with their own practices
and work.

Info-Tech Recommends
Come Full Circle and Return to Business Requirements
Next Steps
As you present your project findings and gain approval for your initiative
Following the approval of
roadmap, make sure you articulate the value for the organization’s
your roadmap, begin to
information management practice and the business capabilities and
plan the implementation
requirements that will be met as a result of the recommended initiatives.
of your first initiatives.

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If you want additional support, have our analysts guide
you through this phase as part of an Info-Tech workshop
Book a workshop with our Info-Tech analysts:

3.1
Effort map planned initiatives
The analyst will facilitate your team’s review of its planned initiatives and prompt
discussions around feasibility, priority, and business benefits. This review of the
planned initiatives will support your team’s final steps in determining the timelines
and sequencing its strategic roadmap.

Document your planned initiatives in a strategic roadmap

3.1 The analyst will guide your team in documenting its improvement initiatives for data
architecture in a strategic roadmap that takes into account dependencies, priorities,
and feasibility.

Using these results and reviewing the additional key outputs from the workshop, the
analyst will compile an executive report to support the team in gaining approval for its
roadmap and implementing first initiatives.

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Thank you to the following individuals and organizations who
contributed to our research

Clients

• Kirk Cummings, Manager - Data Applications and Services, City of Winnipeg

• Jon Sprang, Enterprise Technology Architect, Daktronics Inc.

Experts

• Michael Blaha, author, Patterns of Data Modeling

• Martin Sykora, Director, NexJ Analytics
• David Birmingham, Senior Solutions Architect, Brightlight Consulting
• Anne Marie Smith, Ph.D, Board of Directors, DAMA International

Additional internal interviews with our in-house experts

were also performed.

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Research contributors and experts

Michael Blaha, Consultant

Author, Patterns of Data Modeling
Michael Blaha is a consultant and trainer who specializes in conceiving, architecting, modeling, designing, and
tuning databases. He has worked with dozens of organizations around the world. Blaha has authored seven
U.S. patents, seven books, many articles, and two video courses. He received his doctorate from Washington
University in St. Louis and is an alumnus of GE Global Research in Schenectady, New York. He is a member of
the IEEE Computer Society and Chicago DAMA. You can find out more about him at superdataguy.com.

Anne Marie Smith, Ph.D, Board of Directors

DAMA International
Anne Marie Smith, Ph.D. is an Information Management professional and consultant with broad experience across
industries. She is a certified data management professional (CDMP), and is a frequent speaker and an author on
data management topics. Anne Marie is a primary author of several sections of the DAMA-Data Management
Body of Knowledge (DAMA-DMBOK). Anne Marie received the DAMA International Professional Achievement
Award in 2015.
Anne Marie's consulting areas include: enterprise information management assessment and program
development, data governance, data warehousing, business requirements gathering and analysis, master data
management, data quality management, data architecture, information systems planning. She has taught
numerous workshops and courses in her areas of expertise.
Anne Marie holds the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master's of Business Administration in Management
Information Systems and Risk Management from La Salle University; she earned a Ph.D. in MIS at Northcentral
University.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariesmith/

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Research contributors and experts

Martin Sykora, Director

NexJ Analytics
Martin currently manages the direction and architecture of NexJ Customer Data Management solutions, and
serves as subject matter expert in data management, algorithms, and decision analytics. Mr. Sykora is also
responsible for identifying emerging technology opportunities, competitive research, and contributing to
prototypes. In addition to managing the product roadmap, he ensures best practices for the implementation of
NexJ’s Big Data and Analytics projects. He is also responsible for product marketing activities, including
messaging and positioning of products within the market to generate interest in NexJ Customer Data
Management solutions, and to drive sales. Through his research and thought leadership in the Analytics, Data
Sciences, Business Intelligence, and Data Warehousing, Martin is the analytics subject matter expert and
works with customers, prospects, and analysts.

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