Reaping Rewards Using the Information Framework (SID)

I’ve been home this week after spending a productive week in Toronto.  Even though I was in Toronto I had to have some famous Montreal “smoked meat”.  For those of you not familiar with this “north of the border” treat, here is a link you may find of interest…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal-style_smoked_meat.

One of the “meats of the matter” which we chatted about during training was using the SID Location ABE to support various address formats.  It is interesting that this topic also came up in the SID community last week from another member.  Here is a link to the discussion…http://www.tmforum.org/community/groups/information_framework_sid/forum/t/168290.aspx.  

All this got me thinking about updates to the SID Modeler’s workshop that are being made and a presentation I will be doing at Management World (MW) Dublin which has the same title as this blog.  The thought has to do with the often raised question “Why use the SID?”  A simple answer is that it provides a starting point for any information related project, rather than starting from scratch.

The workshop and the MW presentation provide a glimpse into the many uses of the SID, and the many rewards that can be reaped.  I won’t go into all the details of each use here as it would result in at least a short book, but will list them:

1. Defining the scope (boundaries) of a project
2. Developing an Information Architecture/Model
3. Providing a starting point for database development
4. Specifying ABE-centric or entity-centric business services (SOA services)
5. Organizing business services
6. Specifying interfaces for business services or interfaces in general
7. Facilitating application integration
8. Facilitating data migration via staging tables based on the SID
9. Converging application databases
10. Supporting Master Data Management or Operational Data Stores
11. Organizing existing information/data models
12. Organizing use cases
13. Supporting RFx’s.

That’s what is called a “baker’s dozen” and I am not superstitious about the number 13!  I am certain that the list is incomplete, but it is food for thought as you consider using the SID.

I’ll be home for the next two weeks due to an engagement’s unexpected postponement.  Then it’s off to Dublin and Management World 2011.  I’m looking forward to enjoying some traditional Irish pub food while there!