Information Management Center of Excellence Solution Offering

From MIKE2.0 Methodology

Introduction

The Information Management Center of Excellence Organisation and Shared Services Solution Offering defines varying organizational structures that can most effectively handle the complexities of integration and information management across the whole of the organization. It also provides project-specific team structures and role definitions. This model can be applied in an on-shore or off-shore fashion and the solution offering provides assessment tools and techniques to move in a progressive fashion to an Information Development Centre of Excellence model.

Executive Summary

Solution Offering Purpose

This is a Core Solution Offering. Core Solution Offerings bring together all assets in MIKE2.0 relevant to solving a specific business and technology problem. Many of these assets may already exist and as the suite is built out over time, assets can be progressively added to an Offering.

A Core Solution Offering contains all the elements required to define and deliver a go-to-market offering. It can use a combination of open, shared and private assets.

Solution Offering Relationship Overview

MIKE2.0 Solution Offerings provide a detailed and holistic way of addressing specific problems. MIKE2.0 Solution Offerings can be mapped directly to the Phases and Activities of the MIKE2.0 Overall Implementation Guide, providing additional content to help understand the overall approach. The MIKE2.0 Overall Implementation Guide explains the relationships between the Phases, Activities and Tasks of the overall methodology as well as how the Supporting Assets tie to the overall methodology and MIKE2.0 Solutions. Users of the MIKE2.0 Methodology should always start with the Overall Implementation Guide and the MIKE2.0 Usage Model as a starting point for projects.

Solution Offering Definition

The Centre of Excellence Solution Offering is part of the Architecture, Strategy and Governance Solution Group

The MIKE2.0 Solution for the the Centre of Excellence provides an overall approach to improving Data Governance through a Centre of Excellence delivery model for Infrastructure Development and Information Development. The MIKE2.0 Methodology recommends this approach as the most efficient and effective model for building these common set of capabilities across the enterprise environment. The COE Delivery Team Solution covers the following areas:

• Delivery model for the Technology Backplane
• Definition of a ‘Centre of Excellence for Information Development’
• Relationship to Activities and Tasks of the Overall Implementation Guide
• Benefits of a centralised model for Information Development
• Key architecture roles for moving to an Information Development Organisation
• Tactical team structures that can be used, especially to get started on an initial project
• The strategic team that is required for ongoing Information Development
• Specific skill sets required for each of the roles

The centralized COE delivery model for the Technology Backplane works in concert with a Business delivery model that is focused along the pillars of the business. The MIKE2.0 Methodology provides a delivery approach that segments the organisation solutions delivery models along the lines of Applications, Infrastructure and Information. This applies not only to the SAFE architecture model, but also to the delivery approach, organisational structure or required skills sets needed to implement projects across the enterprise.

The benefits of this centralized model for Information Development also apples to Infrastructure Development (which includes integration). Together, Information Development and Infrastructure Development are referred to as the Technology Backplane. The scope of MIKE2.0 primarily focuses on Information Development.

Defining a Centre of Excellence

Brings together a set of essential functions to support the successful delivery of programmes and projects It is focused on achieving:

• Better reuse capabilities across projects
• Improved software quality
• Reduced speed of delivery
• Cost takeout through shared infrastructure
• Cost takeout through shared skill sets
• It is a comprehensive approach that involves a well-defined:
• Governance Model
• Organisational Structures for Management, Architecture and Delivery
• A Common Architecture
• Maintenance and Support Approach

In summary, a Centre of Excellence brings together a number of best practices in systems development to acheive better speed to market, reuse and reduced complexity.

Virtual Centre of Excellence Model

The centralised model does not need to be a single physical team. When this model can be employed, virtual teams can also be used to deliver the Centre of Excellence. A virtual team has responsibilities assigned to individuals across projects - they also sit within another role in the organisation in addition to the Information Development team. The physical team has resources in dedicated roles on the team and the organisation is fully funded as such. In reality, most organisations will be a combination of the two models.

Whether the team is virtual or physical, it should provide the following:

• Common standards, policies and procedures
• A consistent strategic architecture across the Technology Backplane
• A common method and set of techniques for managing information
• Well defined Roles and Responsibilities for team members

Even if a virtual team model is employed, there should be some level of dedicated resources assigned at senior positions in the Information Development Organisation.

What is most important to remember is that the model for delivery the Technology Backplane (centralised or federated) is less important than the work actually getting done. Some organisations cannot or do not need to move to a centralised model if there is no case for share infrastructure or information but it in this case the value of the collective company could then be challenged.

An Information Development Centre of Excellence model

The vision approach is to take a centralized model for some aspects of solutions delivery and to develop the common technology architecture for delivering information management capabilities (the Technology Backplane). In addition, the Information Strategy should drive changes across Information Management Processes, Organisation and People skills.

In summary, we want to deliver an approach that:

• Assures that common data reconciles across all systems
• Improves data quality across the enterprise environment
• Reduces complexity in the information management environment through data standards
• Allows us to trace the flow of information across all systems in the architecture
• Can scale to meet future business volume growth
• Meets the needs of an initiating project and can also be extended across the wider enterprise environment

… and we want to avoid an approach that:

• Ingrains poor information processes that lead to data quality issues
• Results in unnecessary duplication of effort related to integrated and information management
• Has inconsistent information management processes that lead to data reconciliation issues
• Has an inefficient software development process that increases cost and slows delivery
• Has unknown handoffs between projects sharing common information

The implementation of a centralised model for delivery the Technology Backplane should be seen to be part of a long-running programme where improvements will be put in place over time.

Using MIKE2.0 to Deliver an Information Development Centre of Excellence

MIKE2.0 can be used to deliver the Information Development Centre of Excellence. MIKE2.0 provides a comprehensive method for defining the strategy, standards and architecture framework that the new organisation can use to work towards a common goal. It also defines organisational models of differing maturity levels and key Role Definitions. These provide starting points and targets in building the Information Development Organisation. Using this approach, a better overall approach to Information Governance can be achieved.

Relationship to Solution Capabilities

The Information Management Center of Excellence Solution Offering is established across all 5 phases of the methodology, starting with the strategic definition of the organisation and its responsibilities. This approach provides organisational efficiencies and improved use of information management standards.

Relationship to Enterprise Views

Developing an Information Management Center of Excellence (whether its in a physical, virtual or offshore model)is a key enabler of Information Development as it provides a competency specifically focused on the management of information.

Mapping to the SAFE Architecture Framework

Information Management Center of Excellence Solution Offering provides key roles and responsibilities dedicated to developing an overall architectural model for the current-state, transition points and target vision. As the organisation moves to more sophisticated levels the architecture roles take on a greater emphasis.

Mapping to the Overall Implementation Guide

Delivering an Information Development Centre of Excellence is about putting in place the correct organisational structure, skill capabilites, processes, procedures, standards, policies and technologies to move to an improved Information Development comptency across the organisation. Therefore, from the standpoint of the Overall Implementation Guide, the Activities are the same as those which would be used as part of the Information Governance Solution.

Techniques for Moving to the Information Development Centre of Excellence Organisation

Information Maturity Model

To formulate, communicate, pilot and deploy a centralised organisation for Information Development is a significant undertaking. In addition to following the relevant Activities from the Overall Implementation Guide, the following artifacts from MIKE2.0 can be used to assist in this effort:

• An assessment tool to measure where an organisation is at on the Data Governance Maturity Model (also referred to as the Information Maturity Model
• Comprehensive Role Definitions across aspects of the organisation with associated competencies and metrics
• Organisational Models populated with Role Definitions
• A Training profile for staff to increase their Information Development competency levels
• A Recruiting profile recommended to fill typical recruiting needs
• An Organisational Transition Plan that provides guidance on how to move up the Information Maturity Model

Organisational Models provide different structures for how individuals should interact with one another through their various roles.

Organisational Styles

Organisational Models must effectively cater to a variety of Organisational Styles. Organisations may have a multiplicity of styles: some organisations are very top-down while others may be bottom-up. The organisation may be a loose federation or have a centralised hierarchical structure. In some organisations the informal network may be more important than the formal network.

Organisational Models in MIKE2.0

One of the key concepts of the MIKE2.0 Methodology is that of an Organisational Model for Information Development. This is an organisation that provides a dedicated competency for improving how information is accessed, shared, stored and integrated across the environment.

Whilst this Organisational Model is centralised, it does not need to be a single physical team. When this model can be employed, virtual teams can also be used to deliver the Centre of Excellence. A virtual team has responsibilities assigned to individuals across projects - they also sit within another role in the organisation in addition to the Information Development team. The physical team has resources in dedicated roles on the team and the organisation is fully funded as such. In reality, most organisations will be a combination of the two models.

Illustrative Organisational Models

Organisational models need to be adapted as the organisation moves up the 5 Maturity Levels for organisations in relation to their Information Development competencies are shown below. These organisational models are currently referred to as Data Governance Organisations as this is the familiar term and the models in their current form are better aligned to structured data.

More mature organisational models should bring together roles and and responsibilities related to Information Lifecycle Management, Information Return on Investment (ROI) management.

Level 1 Data Governance Organisation - Aware

• An Aware Data Governance Organisation knows that the organisation has issues around Data Governance but is doing little to respond to these issues. Awareness has typically come as the result of some major issues that have occurred that have been Data Governance-related. An organisation may also be at the Aware state if they are going through the process of moving to state where they can effectively address issues, but are only in the early stages of the programme.

Level 2 Data Governance Organisation - Reactive

• A Reactive Data Governance Organisation is able to address some of its issues, but not until some time after they have occurred. The organisation is not able to address root causes or predict when they are likely to occur. "Heroes" are often needed to address complex data quality issues and the impact of fixes done on a system-by-system level are often poorly understood.

Level 3 Data Governance Organisation - Proactive

• A Proactive Data Governance Organisation can stop issues before they occur as they are empowered to address root cause problems. At this level, the organisation also conducts ongoing monitoring of data quality to issues that do occur can be resolved quickly.

Level 4 Data Governance Organisation - Managed

• A Managed Data Governance Organisation has a mature set of information management practices. This organisation is not only able to proactively identify issues and address them, but defines its strategic technology direction in a manner focused on Information Development.

Level 5 Data Governance Organisation - Optimal

• An Optimal Data Governance Organisation is also referred to as the Information Development Centre of Excellence. In this model, Information Development is treated as a core competency across strategy, people, process, organisation and technology.

Each job role in the organisational models must be populated by defined roles.

Extending the Open Methodology through Solution Offerings

Listed below are proposed extensions to the Overall Implementation Guide to meet the requirements for this Solution Offering:

Potential Activity Changes