What is Data Mesh and why is it important for modern organisations?

Over the last decades, all companies and organisations have recognised the importance of using data to meet their objectives. They have undertaken significant changes to integrate their management and use in their processes.

These changes have led them to a "Data Aware" model, then "Data Centric" to arrive at a "Data Driven" model, in which the Data Information System (IS) coexist with the Operational Information System (IS), sharing a common objective of delivering value. To get the very best out of data, these Data IS have adopted a centralised approach, creating the ability to combine any data with each other: ensuring that the value of the data is maximised.

On the Operational IS part, the design of solutions and applications today is mainly domain driven oriented: the structure of the IS and its applications/solutions match with business domains. Dev and Business, for each domain, work closely together to deliver best services.

As these companies and organisations successfully exploit the Data Driven model, business operations generate and consume more and more data, making the Data IS:

• Complex to operate because of the multitude of data sources, but also because of the business complexity of the information to be processed to create the right services and solutions
• Critical because it is being incorporated more and more into business processes and must be robust and reliable
• Dependent on new business challenges; must be scalable and offer a short time-to-market for new use cases

At Talan, we are convinced that many of our clients are facing a data-driven bottleneck in their model, created by the opposition of the uses of a "Domain Driven Oriented" Operational IS versus a Monolithic Data IS.

In the light of this problem, companies needs guidance through the final stage of their model: an Operational Information System and Data that combine to form a single entity and "product" teams that think about their data and the new associated services: a Data Mesh inspired organisation.

Indeed, Data Mesh may be an innovative approach to solve this paradigm because it underlight the necessary transformation of companies (technical and organisational) to adapt to the new uses of Data, and to maximise its value.

And a transformation of the data strategy through a Data Mesh approach, requires a redesign of all of this Data Strategy layers:

• Organizational: give back the Data ownership to the business
• Technical: offer a Data Mesh ready platform to accelerate and facilitate the creation of Data products
• Architectural: design domain driven Data architectures
• Governance: allow autonomy over domain governance while federating them
• Apps & Data design time: combine uses of Data with the design the operational app

To be successful, this transformation (which can be achieved in a few years) requires a clear strategy with associated stages and objectives. One of the main stage would be to implement a great strategy of acculturation and change management, by explaining, involving and supporting all of the stakeholders in this great Data Mesh adventure.

Do you need more information on how a Data Mesh approach can optimise your day-to-day operations, and how to implement one ? Contact us.