Firm control of transparency, data protection, and quality management 

The description of the data enables the assessment of both the ­current and the target situations. A GAP analysis can be ­developed and suitable measures for implementation can be ­derived. The creation process of the application system ­architecture frequently occurs during a number of iterative steps in the target concept phase. Either the data architecture or the business process architecture can be used as the starting point.  

The integration of the various views “target” and “current” assures coordination with the individual application groups. ­Quality assurance is achieved by contrasting the application ­systems with the business functions.  

The requirements for new, customized application systems do not make it any simpler for companies to reign in uncontrolled redundancy in data storage. The lack of data integrity which frequently appears here can turn into a risk in everyday business. The concurrent deficiency in flexibility can be prevented only by separating the data logic from the program logic. 

The care process helps to manage the risks  

Another need is improved understanding of which IT systems have inherent risks and what measures for the mitigation of risks are necessary. IT managers need deeper insights and informa­tion about the potential hazards slumbering in their data. A well-coordinated care process in the business divisions can ­optimize employees’ awareness in dealing with the data, minimizing risks. Harmonized business processes and high quality of the data are the foundation of success.   

Business processes today are so tightly meshed that you can only be as good as the weakest link in the chain. The definition of the assignment of tasks to the involved roles and ­responsibilities is also achieved through business processes. The assignment of responsibilities is conducted with the aid of the RACI ­approach. RACI is a technique for the analysis and representation of ­responsibilities. The name is derived from the first letters of the words responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed: ­“Responsible” – in a disciplinary sense; “accountable” – ­responsible from the viewpoint of cost object or cost center; “consulted” – responsible in a business sense; and “informed” – requires the information for other responsibilities.