Need for a Global PIM

1
Need for a Global PIM

• One Size doesnt fit all The Complexities of a
  Global PIM

Riversand is recognized as a leader in The
Forrester Wave Product Information Management
Solutions, Q4 2016
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Product Information Management
Organizations that excel in provisioning Rich
Product Content, Consistent Messaging, Optimum
Assortment Mix and Accelerated Time to Market
often have mature Processes, Data Management
Practices and Technology at their disposition.
Organizations with a Global reach realize the
need for a streamlined set of PIM processes and
data that support the whole of the enterprise
and not just some parts of the business.
Region is used as the denominator for
highlighting the Global PIM concept. However, the
context for a Global PIM can be based on any
Entity that forms an organization
Regions/Divisions/Business Units/Product
Lines/Brands etc.
3
How different is my Organization today within
itself?

• A Current State synthesis has to be a necessary
  first step that aims at inventorying the current
  processes, data structures, Organizational Roles
  across the Regions.
• A comprehensive data analysis often provides
  insights that were deemed unlikely regarding
  how products are being created by different SKU
  IDs (and descriptions) in spite of being the
  same exact product.
• This is just one example. There are numerous
  other variables that uncover the variations
  spanning underlying Metadata, Definitions,
  Packaging/Handling/Storage Instructions, and
  other variables spanning Product groupings
  (Taxonomies), Product Lifecycle status, etc. The
  list goes on.

4
Key Elements at Play
Organizations need to ask some key questions in
support of the end-state. Following are some key
ones

• Are my Products homogeneous in nature?
• How variant are the markets that my Products
  serve?
• Do we adopt a single Enterprise-wide process/data
  structures?
• Do we keep a Global Organization, or Regional, or
  both?
• How would the Governance Organization look like?
• Who would own the Definitions?
• How would the Application Landscape look like?
• Would I need multiple PIM instances by Regions?

5
Variance is the KING

• A Global PIM is not a Consolidation exercise.
  Variance is the reality, and it has to be
  supported. Though the core Product information
  (usually characteristics) doesnt have to vary,
  the operational processes and data have to. The
  same applies to Organizational Roles that are
  Regional vs. Global.
• The current state gives vital insights into what
  is truly Regional vs. what can be called Global.
  Common aspects such as Data Definitions,
  Reference Information, Global Roles (if feasible)
  can be deemed global. But Regional issues have to
  stay separate (Regional).

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End-States
Depending on the Organizations Vision,
Information Management objectives, Variance of
the PIM processes (current vs. future), the
Global PIM end-state may look different for the
various organizations. The three core modes are
De-Centralized Control lies at the
Region-level. Regions operate independently with
little collaboration. Reference information can
be shared. Centralized Single Consolidated
Processes and Organization Roles span Regions.
Data being managed can be varied by the Region,
but the more the variance the less plausible
this End-State becomes. Federated Global vs.
Entity level Control can be varied.
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I know my end-state, but my Tool-kit is dated
A well laid out plan is half work done.
Implementation is the next step. It needs a
robust, flexible Tool-Kit that supports/imbibes
the possible Global PIM end-states intrinsically
(as part of the Tool Architecture). Else,
realizing a Global PIM can end up becoming an
extensively customized project increasing risk
and costs. A strong Team who has experience in
dealing with the Global PIM variations is
fundamental. At last, a Business Sponsor who
has influence over the whole enterprise is a
must.
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Riversand is an innovative leader in Master Data
Management, powering industries from the world's
largest to SMBs. Riversand's single integrated,
scalable and robust multi-domain MDM platform
caters to a variety of use cases across multiple
verticals. In addition Riversand offers specific
solutions such as Vendor Portal, Spare Parts
Management, Material Master, GDSN on-boarding,
Media Assets Management, Print Publishing etc.
Business value which Riversand provides include
accelerated time-to-market, increased sales,
improved order accuracy, reduced costs and
enhanced customer service. Customer satisfaction
is at the heart of Riversand's innovation. For
more information, visit Riversand.com and follow
_at_RiversandMDM on Twitter.
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