Considering Data Integration Best Practices
Data integration is the process of retrieving and combining heterogeneous data from different source systems.
The primary goal of data integration is to combine data from a variety of sources in a way that can produce meaningful and valuable information for business reporting and data analysis needs.
Nowadays, data integration involves much more than retrieving and combining processes – it brings together a wide range of tools, techniques, and methods supporting real-time integration.
Today powerful data integration tools can easily transform unstructured data and of course work with data, and deliver it to any system including pushing and pulling data from the Pretectum CMDM for Customer Master Data Management.
For integration to be effective there are some important aspects to keep in mind.
Keeping integration front and center as a strategy for connecting disparate sources and systems.
Use contemporary APIs and integration methods whenever possible that use contemporary technology that is often more secure and more robust.
Leverage integration to remove organizational silos that are often associated with data and systems, this is particularly important if you have a cross-functional need for specific data to be consistent.
Make use of an integration “standards” based approach to evaluating which and what sources to connect to one another
Start small and then move to more ambitious and more elaborate integrations once your initial tests and experiments prove fruitful, successful, reliable, and valuable.
Don’t assume that integration will resolve organizational issues, integration may help with the systems and data but change management often needs bigger effort and investment to make the most benefit to the organization
Keeping your eye on the ball of the final goal will guide your intentions and thinking around what you can afford and what you need to focus on. Focus on what matters.
Small possibly insignificant and seemingly trivial items may yield a far greater reward in terms of integration than you may have initially thought.
To learn more about how Pretectum can be used as a hub for your customer master data and syndicate the customer to other systems, contact us for details.