A global market leader in the beverage industry had significant problems with data quality in its international supply chain. The headquarters and 45 subsidiaries worldwide were affected. The interim manager was tasked with improving data and process quality and introducing a new system for master data management. The aim of the assignment was to implement an efficient and high-quality process and improved data quality in a new system and to break down the existing operational silos.
Documentation and analysis of data structures, processes and systems
At the start of the project (2019), the current interim manager, who was Global Head of Transformation & Information Management at the time, identified numerous shortcomings. Data records were incorrect, entries were incomplete and employees' knowledge of the data was very limited. A comprehensive analysis of data records, data structures and the data capture processes as well as the systems used revealed the reasons for the errors. These essentially consisted of the fact that there were no clear rules for entering and changing data (data governance).
Employees won over to working on better data quality
One challenge for the interim manager was that the great importance of high data quality for all shared data sets was barely anchored in the minds of the employees. As a rule, they were only interested in the data that was relevant to their area. By demonstrating the benefits of data usage, the interim manager created an understanding that data management should not only focus on their own area, but also on the company as a whole.
Data governance guidelines developed and implemented in the teams
In the next step, the interim manager moderated workshops on data quality and target values. In addition, measurement methods and responsibilities for data quality were defined for each data object. This common definition made the abstract concept of data quality "tangible" for everyone and made it easier to recognize the benefits of high data quality for the company.
In order to ensure process and data quality in the long term, he initiated the introduction of guidelines for data governance. The details and precise rules were developed in workshops with the affected divisions. Together with his team, the interim manager defined in the data governance guidelines which data may be entered, changed and supplemented, when, how, by whom and in which system. He also created new positions such as data stewards for the collection, management and control of data. This data governance approach now ensures high data quality in the long term.
Introduction of master data lifecycle management
In order to ensure the highest possible level of security in the event of changes or deletions, the interim manager introduced master data lifecycle management, for which he defined three core processes and set up a workflow in the data management system. In addition, a status network and version management was introduced for each data object. This enabled the interim manager to show each colleague the current status of a data record and the version in which it is being processed. This increased transparency and reduced the incorrect use of data records.
Reliable data significantly reduces friction losses in the supply chain
Thanks to data governance and master data management, company headquarters and subsidiaries around the world now have reliable data in the global supply chain. The work of the current interim manager and his teams have successfully helped to avoid many frictional losses.
Breaking down silo thinking in areas of the company
The company also benefited from the fact that the interim manager's persuasive work made a significant contribution to overcoming silo thinking in many areas of the company. To achieve this goal, the interim manager not only held numerous discussions, but also used role-playing games in workshops, for example, to create a common understanding and break down silo thinking. The interim manager also overcame resistance by involving teams at all levels early on in the test phase and always ensuring transparency with a comprehensive communication strategy.
