For CIOs

CIOs: Develop A Technology Watch List

The Top 15 Technology Trends To Watch

by Sharyn Leaver, November 13, 2009

As IT executives set out their strategies and plan for 2010 and beyond, they must determine what the top technology trends are for their business and gauge IT's ability to support the next phase of technology innovation and growth. To help, Forrester . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Trends 2009: Master Data Management

Findings From Forrester's August 2009 Global Master Data Management/Data Quality Online Survey

by Rob Karel, October 23, 2009

Forrester continues to witness growing enthusiasm for master data management (MDM) initiatives across all industries, and in many cases those visions are slowly becoming reality. Yet while many large organizations work to either improve an existing MDM . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Trends In Data Quality  (582 KB PPT)

by Rob Karel, October 23, 2009

This set of data charts will examine key trends in data quality gleaned from Forrester's August 2009 Global Master Data Management/Data Quality Online Survey.

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Top 15 Technology Trends EA Should Watch

by Alex Cullen, October 6, 2009

IT organizations need to inform their annual and longer-term plans with an understanding of how changes in technology will enable business outcomes. EA groups are the logical leaders for this effort. Forrester has identified 15 technologies with the greatest . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Warning: Don't Assume Your Business Processes Use Master Data

Synchronize Your Business Process And Master Data Strategies

by Rob Karel, Clay Richardson, September 21, 2009

Business process management (BPM) professionals understand the need for data but often only pay it lip service, doing little to take responsibility for ensuring data quality within their processes. Data management professionals, on the other hand, drive . . .

For CIOs

Distributed Enterprise 2.0

CIOs In Consumer-Facing, Distributed Firms Can Capitalize On Cloud Computing

by George Lawrie, July 23, 2009

In a desperate effort to maintain the connection with fickle consumers, line-of-business executives and their allies in IT are conspiring to lower the IT drawbridge in order to deliver personalized customer experiences wherever and whenever consumers . . .

For CIOs

Retail Technology Self-Assessment Workbook  (150 KB XLS)

by George Lawrie, July 22, 2009

The Retail Technology Self-Assessment workbook can be used to evaluate retailers' strengths and weaknesses across a set of retail-centric technologies, processes, and capabilities. Retail IT executives should use this workbook to identify how well technology . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

It's Time To Revisit Product Information Management (PIM)

PIM Looks And Feels Like MDM, But It's Really An App

by Rob Karel, July 21, 2009

Product data is the lifeblood of many large enterprises. For manufacturers and consumer product goods (CPG) companies, the efficiency of the product supply and distribution chain may be their one and only true differentiator. For retailers, the product . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

How SaaS-Able Are Content, Collaboration, And Data Software Categories?

Only Some Categories Possess The Innate Characteristics Suited To SaaS Delivery

by Craig Le Clair, Ted Schadler, July 8, 2009

Many enterprises are considering information and knowledge management (I&KM) software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions as alternatives to on-premise software installations and perpetual-license models. In response, I&KM vendors — old and new — have . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

EA Must Guide Master Data Management Initiatives Through Information Architecture

by Gene Leganza, June 22, 2009

Master data management (MDM) can be used as a strategic means to deliver a trusted view of critical data throughout the enterprise. However, MDM has not yet matured as a business capability, and there is still a great deal of market confusion regarding . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Inquiry Spotlight: Master Data Management, Q1 2009

by Rob Karel, March 23, 2009

Information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals continue to investigate master data management (MDM) as a strategic means to deliver a trusted view of critical data throughout the enterprise. Unfortunately, MDM remains an immature business . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Data And Content Classification: Your Trusted Information Backbone

by Rob Karel, Leslie Owens, January 14, 2009

The information that powers your business — like a sales forecast or voice of the customer analysis — mixes data (such as inventory counts) and content (such as promotional strategies). Enterprises rarely store such data and content in the same place . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Topic Overview: Business Intelligence

by Boris Evelson, November 21, 2008

Business intelligence (BI) is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information. It allows business users to make informed business decisions with real-time data that can . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Retail Foundation Data

How To Maintain And Exploit Quality Merchandise And Location Data

by George Lawrie, October 31, 2008

Given the vastly expanded choice and market transparency, retailers are becoming increasingly dependent on merchandise data to add value to their unique selling proposition. Retailers need to hone their ability to move full truckloads and to exploit new . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The ROI Of Master Data Management

A Total Economic Impact™ Analysis Uncovers Modest Short-Term Gains

by Rob Karel, October 29, 2008

Information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals evangelize trusted data initiatives such as data quality or master data management (MDM) because they recognize that improving the usefulness of and end-user confidence in critical enterprise . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Topic Overview: Must-Read I&KM Research For An Economic Downturn

by Matthew Brown, Connie Moore, Rob Karel, October 29, 2008

Financial bailouts, downward consumer spending, and roller-coaster stock markets are starting to put pressure on information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals. Will industry consolidation mean gut-wrenching systems consolidation? How will . . .

For CIOs

The Emerging Technology Trends That CIOs Should Care About

by Bobby Cameron, August 13, 2008

Today's technology trends may appear like only incremental changes compared with historic changes like ERP and the Internet, but Forrester believes that we are in the initial phases of a major technology innovation and growth wave called "IT everywhere." . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Customer Hubs, Q3 2008

Siperian, Initiate Systems, IBM, D&B Purisma, And Oracle UCM Widen The Functionality Gap

by R "Ray" Wang, August 4, 2008

In Forrester's 149-criteria evaluation of customer hubs vendors, we found that Siperian, Initiate Systems, IBM, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Purisma, and Oracle UCM led the pack because of their broad support for multiple industries, number of successful . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Building The Business Case For Master Data Management

MDM Projects Should Start By Aligning With Key Business Drivers

by Rob Karel, R "Ray" Wang, May 30, 2008

Most information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals today understand the value that a master data management (MDM) strategy could bring to their organizations. But many often fail to secure the necessary prioritization, resources, and funding . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Trends 2008: Master Data Management

Focus On People And Process Will Continue To Trump Technology Decisions

by R "Ray" Wang, Rob Karel, May 16, 2008

Information and knowledge management professionals continue to turn their attention to defining master data management (MDM) strategies. However, early adopters in 2008 will focus on mitigating the organizational, process, and business case challenges . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

How To Make MDM And SOA Better Together

Use SOA Principles To Simplify MDM Delivery

by Rob Karel, Larry Fulton, April 24, 2008

Master data management (MDM) initiatives seek to deliver a single, trusted version of enterprise data, while service-oriented architecture (SOA) programs try to provide shared business and information services for key business processes. MDM and SOA initiatives . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Five Top Challenges Information And Knowledge Managers Must Master In 2008

by Connie Moore, Rob Karel, January 30, 2008

Information and knowledge managers are constantly bombarded by new technologies — like RIAs, wikis, blogs, and virtual worlds — or new market trends, such as the recent consolidation in business intelligence (BI). Plus there's the ever-changing organizational . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Customer Data Management Best Practices Adoption

by William Band, January 10, 2008

We surveyed 55 business and technology decision-makers and influencers to discover their strengths and weaknesses compared to 12 customer data management best practices. We found that adopting customer data management best practices is a challenge for . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Customer Analytics Best Practices Adoption

by William Band, January 10, 2008

We surveyed 55 business and technology decision-makers and influencers to discover their strengths and weaknesses compared to 12 customer analytics best practices capabilities. We found that adopting customer analytics practices is a major challenge for . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

D&B's Acquisition Of Purisma Signals Market Shift

Trusted Data Source Vendor Commits To Delivering CDI Technology

by R "Ray" Wang, November 21, 2007

On November 5, 2007, Short Hills, NJ-based Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) revealed its $48 million acquisition of Purisma, a Redwood City, Calif., provider of customer hub solutions. Until now, the majority of D&B's expertise had been applied to the . . .