Customer Data Integration: Reaching a Single Version of the Truth

One of the strengths of this book is the author's ability to tie new technology issues to real world examples. Dyche and Levy deliver a clear and straight forward description of master data management and customer data integration without getting caught up with esoteric terminology or the academics of technology. They focus on providing me with details that can help me (and others) understand the complexities and benefits of CDI in business.

This book is perfect for the person that wants to learn the practical aspects of customer data integration. It's clear from the book's numerous case studies (more than 10) that the authors have spent the time and energy researching what companies REALLY do when it comes to implementing master data management in the customer data integration space. There are many places to read about an academic approach to this topic -- this book provides a refreshing, real world perspective of how CDI works and how real companies use this new technology.

I got this book from my account rep, who told me to read the chapter on Data Governance ("Who Owns the Data, Anyway?") While my company is still trying to figure out how to tackle the problem of "harmonizing" our consumer data, I was particularly interested in the chapters that explained why, with MDM and CDI, the formalized management of the data has got to be tackled now! The book provides great tips for putting data governance in place. It also makes the point that execution capabilities for implementing data governance policies and rules are key-an important lesson for me and my staff. I also liked the "What Managers Should Know" sections at the end of every chapter-the book did a good job of "cherry picking" the important points for executives like me who need quick value summaries. And, as the other reviewers have mentioned, the dozen or so case studies really paint a picture of how this stuff is really employed by successful companies.

Jill and Evan have once again translated their hands-on work with real-life companies into a well-written and informative book on customer data management and integration. I have distributed the book to several staff members and colleagues, and Chapter 6--Who Owns the Data Anyway? Data Governance, Data Management, and Data Stewardship"--is positively dog-eared. I particularly appreciate the case studies in the book, and the CheckFree case study brought home the concepts of how to organize and execute a true data governance framework with the participation of executives. Moreover, the book addresses gnarly political and organizational issues that other sources often gloss over. I highly recommend this book to anyone trying to get more value out of their customer data.

The authors do an excellent job of explaining the concepts of CDI and clarifying what it is and is not versus other technologies such as MDM, CRM, or data warehousing. I especially liked the real-world case studies interwoven through out that provide invaluable insight as to the business benefits of CDI as well as the challenges in achieving CDI. The chapter on Data Governance is a must read for any IT, BI, or CRM practitioner. The book contains practical checklists, roles and responsibilities, and manager dos and don'ts taking the book beyond the theoretical but more importantly, making it actionable.