In my last post, I suggested that the conventional “facet” approach to designing master data models (in which each master domain is modeled, designed, and implemented in isolation from the others in the enterprise) creates gaps in the ability to effectively build applications that facilitate successful execution of end-to-end business processes. For example, the perception (and consequently the definition) of the role of a “customer” changes between the marketing, sales, finance, fulfillment, an...

I had a recent email exchange in which a customer was looking for guidance in developing data models for master data entities used across multiple business functions and domains. One of the motivating factors was the desire for evolving a “golden record” (a term that makes me bristle each time I hear it, by the way) for each master entity type – a golden customer record, a golden product record, etc. I expressed my concern about two things: attempting to create a model intended to represent a s...