Lessons from Apple WWDC for Data Management

Yes, I really will attempt to draw parallels, even though I wasn’t at the event. I have however become a Mac user over the years and having seen how Apple’s approach is driving user and even corporate user behavior, I thought seeking parallels would be a useful exercise.

“PC free” was one of the key points of Steve Jobs’ presentation. With iCloud, Apple continues to cannibalize it’s own market (and likely others’ as well). iPods, except for the ultra portable ones still favored for the battery life, are no longer the hot sellers. Gone too are Flip and other technologies and vendors with the success of smart phones.

Lesson 1. Be aware of what’s coming, for others will
From tool vendors to IT professionals, I have seen many parties succeed or slow down based on their willingness to change and adopt. After the .com boom, the data profession lamented on how quick development had killed many data efforts. Many of the same groups also missed trends that others embraced, putting themselves in a tougher position. Lluck or executive support are still factors. More on that later.)

Apple didn’t give up the music store business with fewer iPods being sold. They reinvented and maintained, even expanded relevance through other services people could relate to.

What would it take data governance to move from maintaining standards to a business results focused service delivery. I mean data discovery, advanced analytical support. I refer to embracing agile techniques an EII/EDM like solutions. These would still rely on and make even more relevant data modeling and data standards. It would also make their value easier to describe and maintain.

More lessons and parallels coming soon

Cheers