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 its definition and implementation. The majority of inquiries that Forrester received last year included mostly basic questions regarding the beginning stages of implementing an MDM strategy. As enterprise architects are responsible for the organization's information architecture, they must be knowledgeable about MDM as an important set of practices that enables them to implement an architecture that addresses business needs.