An operating model aligns data & analytics resources across the enterprise. Its goal is to push development as close to the business as possible while maintaining standards that ensure data consistency and alignment throughout the enterprise. In essence, an operating model should provide the benefits of both decentralization (i.e., agility, speed, customization) and centralization (i.e., standards, reuse, efficiency).

This eBook provides a primer on how to create an operating model for data & analytics. It provides a framework for designing data & analytics operating models and insights on how to tailor them to individual organizations:

• The rationale for an operating model;
• Managing information flows;
• Blue Team composition;
• Purple Team composition; and
• Red Team composition.

There is no one operating model that is better than another. In fact, every data organization will have its own unique operating model or combination of models. Organizations will need to incorporate multiple approaches for aligning enterprise and domain resources depending on the capabilities and interests of each business domain.