Lesson 5 — Plan the Assessment
The five top-level DMMA activities are:
PLAN → ASSESS → INTERPRET → IMPROVE → RE-ASSESS
Planning is not paperwork added before the “real” assessment. Poor planning can make the resulting maturity rating misleading.
The five planning sub-activities
1. Define Objectives
Translate the business driver into an assessment focus.
Objectives influence: - framework choice; - organizational scope; - priority business areas; - participants; - evidence needs; - what the final result must support.
If the driver is merger integration, the objective differs from a localized MDM-readiness assessment.
2. Choose a Framework
Select a framework that fits the objective and assumptions. Make sure the team understands its methodology.
Do not choose the model merely because it is famous, detailed, or bundled with a tool.
3. Define Organizational Scope
Enterprise-wide assessment is not always practical.
Localized scope can provide: - deeper evidence; - faster execution; - lower participant burden; - a useful pilot.
Enterprise scope can provide: - broader comparison; - organization-wide view; - coverage of disconnected functions;
but is more complex and resource intensive.
For a first assessment, Chapter 15 often favors a manageable meaningful scope rather than a superficial enterprise sweep. Always document what is out of scope.
4. Define the Interaction Approach
Possible methods include: - workshops; - interviews; - surveys; - artifact/document reviews.
Choose methods based on culture, geography, time, participant burden, and evidence needs. Responses must ultimately support formal ratings and are often checked against actual evidence.
The assessment should be completed in a short, defined timeframe. Long delays reduce engagement, weaken momentum, and separate findings from action planning.
5. Plan Communications
Participants need to know: - why the assessment is being done; - how it will be conducted; - what involvement is expected; - schedule; - how findings will be used; - next steps; - reporting approach.
Plan for concerns such as: - resistance or fear; - legal exposure from documented gaps; - HR/job implications; - cultural differences; - inconsistent Data Management vocabulary.
Different stakeholder groups may require different messages.
Scope is not a prestige contest
A local assessment is not “less valid” because it is local. It is valid for the scope it represents. An enterprise assessment is not automatically better if evidence quality, timing, or participation collapses.
Changed-fact drill
Base: first-time team, eight weeks, 40 business units → localized/phased scope is stronger.
Changed fact: leadership needs only a high-level enterprise scan, has sufficient resources/participation, and accepts reduced depth → enterprise scope may become reasonable.
Source
pp. 510–513.