Project description

Executive summary

“Managing metadata enterprise-wide simply don't exist yet.” [1] Therefore it’s time to start something.

MARS is as well a methodology than a tool focused on the Metadata Management in the Master Data context. Based on a large and concrete experience, the methodology is applicable regardless of the core business of the users.

“In a world of siloed information systems, metadata has the potential to glue all the information together.” 1

[1]Rob Karel - Getting Your Arms Around Metadata - Forrester

Backgroud

Having worked on the preparation of a Master Data Management program for a big company, we have had the opportunity to analyze a big variety of situations. We were also in charge to build the data flow cartography in the framework of the Enterprise Information Architecture.

Our conclusion is: the big problem today, for launching such initiatives, is the lack of methodology and the insufficient importance given to the Metadata Management.

Objectives

Promote the methodology to give to the Businesses a complete understanding of the current status of their Master Data and help them to manage Metadata.
The primary objective is not simply put on the market one more tool; work on the quality of the methodology is essential and must be the most important added value.
Finding a partner recognizing the added value of this work is needed to be integrated into an existing solution.

Scope

The management of Metadata has become so critical, that it's an absolute necessity to have a good understanding of how and from where this type of data will be accessed. The methodology is an important part of this solution. The tool is a pragmatic support to implement the concepts thus defined.
The richness of the tool is built around the manner original whose data and their relationships are modeled. The richness of the tool is also formed by the pre-loaded data that comes from a compilation of many practices. The content of the repository is focused on the Metadata.
This solution is part of the category/class of Metadata Management System (MMS).

Out of Scope

The Master Data & Master Data Management (MDM) is strongly linked with this subject. Yet there is no question to build another MDM tool.

Constraints

Placing on the market this type of product requires special care to protect the intellectual content.
The primary objective is not simply to put on the market one more tool; work on the quality of the methodology is essential and must be the most important added value.
Finding a partner recognizing the added value of this work is needed to be integrated into an existing solution.

Assumptions

The attached tool will continue to evolve to incorporate complementary concepts. As it exists it is not a commercial product, but a concrete support to the methodology.
The Metadata Management market is now enough mature to evolve and enlarge the functional coverage, recognizing the value of this solution. The suppliers on this market are looking to complement their existing solutions to make then even more comprehensive and therefore more attractive.

Reporting

The development of the first prototype of MARS was started on December 2008. The modeling of the concept was the first step. Of course the data model was, at this stage, very simple.
A first presentation of the concept was done in March 2009. The feeling of being able to going forward was acquired.
The need to establish a methodology was very clear. This formalization was done during July 2009.
The version 1.0 (methodology and documentation) has been finalized on August 31st 2009. The Beta version 1.0 of the tool has been finalized one month later, on September 30th 2009.
The registration for copyrights (methodology, tool and documentation) was done in October 2009. i-DEPOT n°6742
The publication of this web site was done in April 2010.