How would a Multi-Domain Master Data Management (MDM) solution look like at Santa Claus’s organization?
I think it may look like this:
Santa’s MDM solution covers all 4 classic domains:
- Party
- Product
- Location
- Calendar
Party
A main business improvement achieved through Santa’s MDM solution is better Nice or Naughty management. The old CRM system didn’t have a dedicated field for Nice or Naughty assignment, so this information was found in many different fields used during the years including as part of a street address or as a “send Christmas card” check mark. Today Santa handles Nice and Naughty information including historical tracking as a kid may be Nice one year but Naughty the next. This also helps with predictive analysis for future present demand. Ho ho ho.
Party master data management at Santa’s also includes keeping track of all the business partners as manufacturers of toys and other stuff, the shopping malls where Santa has to sit in December and so on. A given legal entity may have different roles in different business processes. For example a reindeer insurance company may also require Santa’s presence at the company’s Christmas tree family party.
Product
Product Information Management (PIM) has always been a complex operation at Santa’s. In Wish List Fulfillment (Wishful) you may have kids wishing for the same thing with different wording. The new MDM solutions flexible hierarchy management features helps a lot when the wishes are matched with specifications obtained by the purchase elves. At Santa’s they increasingly work with the suppliers in sharing complete and timely product descriptions and specifications.
Location
Handling location information relates to different locations where Santa is supposed to live be that at the North Pole, in Greenland, in Lapland or any other believes as discussed in the post Notes about the North Pole.
Also related to knowing where to deliver all the presents Santa has realized that maintaining an address as part of the record for each boy and girl isn’t the best way. Today each boy and girl record has a relation with a start and end date to a location entity where location specific information, including precise chimney positions, are kept.
Calendar
Christmas present delivery timing is crucial for Santa. In some countries Christmas morning the 25th December is the right time for the stuff to be there. In other countries Christmas evening the 24th December is the right time. Add to that doing present delivery across all time zones. Ho ho ho.
The MDM implementation at Santa’s has indeed helped a lot with Santa Quality. But it is an ongoing journey.
Right now Santa is looking for a smart Information management firm to help with defining to what time zone the North Pole belongs.
Anyone out there?
Liliendahl on Data Quality 
I think the “Naughty or Nice” attribute is a good candidate for crowdsourcing through social MDM. Who would know better who’s naughty or nice than people’s friends, associates, co-workers, etc.?
Excellent suggestion Frank. I don’t know how Santa did it before, but this an obvious “business” case for Social MDM indeed 🙂
The North Pole covers all times zones. How else does he get everywhere at once? Just, for goodness sake, be good and don’t let him anywhere near Apple Maps, or he’ll still be “coming to town” *next* Christmas…
🙂 David. I guess you’re right. Santa will have to postpone 3D maps until at least next xmas.