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Master Data Management (MDM)
Master data management (MDM) is a technology-enabled discipline in which business and IT work together to ensure the uniformity, accuracy, stewardship, semantic consistency and accountability of the enterprise's official, shared master data assets. Master data is the consistent and uniform set of identifiers and extended attributes that describes the core entities of the enterprise, such as customers, prospects, citizens, suppliers, sites, hierarchies, and chart of accounts.
MDM is an example of an information-sharing environment that represents a key part of an enterprise information management (EIM) initiative, and it helps organizations and business partners break down operational barriers, enabling increased enterprise performance and agility, process integrity, cost optimization, and simplifying integration activities.
MDM helps reconcile across inconsistent data silos the creation of a master data 'single version of the truth,' either through physically consolidating data into a single data store, federation of best source of record data from multiple sources, or some combination of the two, as needed
Link to Gartner's master data management definition
Featured MDM Events
Master Data Management Summit
- 4-5 April 2012
- Los Angeles, CA
- Designed to address all maturity levels, this conference examines the data management tools and technologies that can dramatically improve the visibility, accuracy and usefulness of an organization's critical data. Attendees will leave knowing how to create a master data management vision and strategy, a roadmap for launching and expanding MDM initiatives, and methods and metrics for assessing the ROI and benefit a master data management strategy can bring to the enterprise." title="Gartner conference
- Learn More
Master Data Management Summit
- 8-9 February 2012
- London, UK
- Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of MDM or are ready to move onto the next master data domain, The Gartner Master Data Management Summit will be the definitive event to provide you with practical guidance that you can act on immediately to create business value and achieve success.
- Learn More
Featured MDM Webinars
Drive Business Value with MDM, BPM and Performance Management
- Hosted by Andrew White
- Research VP
- Listen Now
7 Building Blocks for a Successful Master Data Management Plan
- Hosted by John Radcliffe
- Research VP
- Listen Now
Master Data Management Research
Key Issues for Master Data Management, 2011
7 February 2011
Master data management is a key enabler of business success. Gartner plans to provide a wide range of research to help organizations successfully initiate, reinforce and sustain their MDM discipline.
The 10 Myths and Realities of Master Data Management
8 October 2010
This research highlights the fatal flaws in master data management programs and highlights how to avoid them. By avoiding these fatal flaws, an MDM initiative has a much greater chance of success.
Hype Cycle for Master Data Management
8 November 2010
Master data management is a technology-enabled business discipline that helps organizations achieve a "single version of the truth" in such important areas as customers, products and accounts. The MDM Hype Cycle looks at the noteworthy technology elements that are involved.
Magic Quadrant for Master Data Management of Product Data
27 September 2010
Enterprises struggle to gain a consistent, shareable and accurate single version of product or service data across their enterprises. Achieving and maintaining a single, semantically consistent version of product master data is a critical capability that supports many business drivers.
