Mens Et Opera - Reloaded

This is the third instalment of the series about the present and future of PIM. Readers are invited to take a look at the previous posts ( here , here ) and the interlude about the interplay of content and data . PIM as a content and publishing platform Longtime readers will be familiar with my approach to PIM. In short, PIM is a discipline, or at least the fundamental tenets of PIM are dictated by how businesses operate to bring products they sell to life, and not by technology vendors (that’s why it is a discipline). As such, it is a discipline that ties in a number of processes such as product introduction, product lifecycle management, supplier collaboration, customer conversion, etc. (being a discipline is a beautiful thing because it springboards innovation (but this is a different story…). Now, and this is the crux of the matter, to mature a product into a state where it can be sold across multiple customer touch points requires a systematic approach to developing and c...

In my last post I proposed to see PIM from at least two distinct standpoints. The first is the traditional view of PIM as part of the broader MDM family. The second, I argue, is an emerging trend that see PIM as an element of a broader marketing platform.  This will be part of a forthcoming white paper I am working on for HubDesigns .  For the time being, I thought it would make sense to spell out a few things about data and content to help understand the point I made in the previous post. This is an interlude between the previous posts on this topic and the next one that will conclude the series.  Remember, PIM as "an MDM use case", to cite Andrew White,  tends to be engineered around data optimization, while PIM as a "Content Management use case", tends to satisfy the appetite of marketers (details are here and here ). Data and Content Data is the mechanism to 'register' what happens in the world. This can take various forms. For insta...

I am borrowing the simple “Six Hats” concept advanced by Edward de Bono to exemplify the discipline of Product Information Management (PIM) in a creative manner. Given that I am also tired of seeing PIM defined, purported, marketed and trumpeted in the same way in many quarters i.e. a repository of product data to bla bla bla, I will sprinkle a few insights I am working on to really start looking at PIM from a new and more adequate angle. Now, de Bono's method aims to force us to move outside our habitual thinking style to get a more rounded view of a situation.  He effectively uses six colours to describe six different angles ( hats ) to see a situation. As you can imagine, this has nothing to do with PIM but the intuitive meaning attributed to colours offers a nice way to look at six key constituents of PIM. Let’s put the PIM hats on! This is the traditional way of understanding PIM as a repository of product data. It is a paramount foundation upon which anythi...

For readers who might be interested, I thought it would be useful to gather together in one place links to various posts on what PIM is. Like much of what you'll find on this blog, these posts focused on PIM as a strategic business application to help retailers and manufactures take control of all the individual data points and business processes that support their product information across the value chain. On to the posts. Why PIM is disruptive Top reasons for PIM investment .  The right PIM within an organization . PIM: silos breaker ! Consider PIM when (re)defining your Direct-to-Consumer model  Heavy Meta. The role of PIM in turning data in information. MDM and PIM demystified Guest interview with CEO of Actualog Guest interview with Jorij Abraham Capgemini on Product Information Management .  Enjoy!

This is a second round of a series of posts regarding the difference between PIM and MDM. In the first installment , I briefly highlighted the “functional” differences by emphasizing the consolidation of data (e.g. create the golden record, identity resolution, data quality, etc.) across the enterprise to feed transactional systems with “good” data as the primary target of MDM initiatives while PIM fills the need to author product-related commercial data to feed customer touch-points  such as catalogs, web shops, and so forth. Granted, very high level strokes but I reckon a good beginning for a marketing-free conversation about PIM and MDM. In fact, I want to start this second round with a note of appreciation. I really like Michele Goetz’s MDM and PIM insights over her blog at Forrester (great name, no relation and much better looking!) Now, the same Michele Goetz recently posted a brief piece to introduce the new Forrester report about PIM . Michele aptly points out th...

I recently came across an interesting executive summary of a report conducted by Capgemini involving 62 global leading online retail and consumer products (CP) companies in the grocery category (it’s a bit dated but I think still pertinent). The aim of the research was to “evaluate how visible and consumer driven the product data is in retailers’ and CP companies’ digital channels.” The research finds that in many cases the “digital product information provided to shoppers is inaccurate, incomplete or missing entirely” which doesn’t perfectly square with the need for rich consumer-oriented product data, driven by the explosion of digital channels. According to the report, the key step to provide better information and enhance the dialogue with shoppers is to “improve the visibility of product data in digital channels.” This resonates with me greatly. However, the question is “how?” That is: How to make product content relevant and consistent* across all channels?   The fol...

OK there is a big difference between MDM and PIM. Apparently not everyone agrees.  Regardless, things can become even more confusing when analysts, vendors, consultants, and academics all give you their perspective on what MDM and/or PIM really is. I know it’s hard to sort through it. But let’s try to keep it very simple. Note 1 : my apology to the experts to leave out important aspects Note 2 : I took inspiration for the example below by reading "Master Data Management", written by the well-respected David Loshin. Now, take the following transaction from a generic order fulfillment system: I am sure you have identified the three master data domains in this transaction: Customer: Michele M. Arpaia Product: Seat 15B (what about Flight 238?) Location: Sydney, SYD, Melbourne, MEL Can you see the beauty of MDM? Ideally, every transaction (occurring everywhere in your organization) relies on accurate, consistent, fresh, and complete master d...

Jorij Abraham is the founder of the E-commerce Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping organizations and industries improve their e-commerce activities. He advises companies on e-commerce strategy, Omnichannel development and product information management. He also works as Director Research & Advise for Ecommerce Europe. He's written a fine book about PIM but don't expect a technical book at all! This is what marketing teams, merchandisers, product category teams, digital strategist, should be reading. Like him or not, when he talks you’d better listen! Michele: Let's start with a view on the PIM market. Where are we globally? Jorij: We are just starting. Most retailers still do not realize how important product information is to sell digital. In some countries the expectation is that in 2020 30 - 50% of all consumer goods are bought online. PIM no longer is an option. It is essential to be successful in 2020. M.: What was the main...

Social PIM is a term that has  recently   been growing in popularity and I suspect that it will be acquiring new meanings in the near future. I caught up with Kate Koltunova , CEO and founder of Actualog . She is a very motivated and determined individual with her own views on what social PIM is. I hope you enjoy her insights as I did. Michele: Let’s start with the basics. What is Social PIM, anyway? Kate: You see, today ‘social’ is an all-encompassing term and you will be very hard pressed to find a common definition…which is OK. My personal flavor of ‘social PIM’ is very simple. To me, PIM is a catalyst for collaboration among those who know product information better. We call these individuals Product Experts. The ‘social’ dimension is the common effort of the experts to come up with perfect, accurate, and fresh product information. M.: Interesting  flavor  of ‘social’ indeed. Could you give us an example? K.: I certainly can. Take a gas sensor. It ...

The cost of waiting to invest in PIM is too great. Please pause and repeat it to yourself. This is not a joke. Let's face it. If you are a retailer (small or big makes little difference), what are your most painful challenges? Chances are that your answer will include a variation of the following: lost sales from out-of-stocks,  lost time haggling over return disputes,  squandering hours reconciling product promotion discrepancies across all channels. Feel free to continue to experience wasted dollars from slowed time to market for new product introductions, time spent relaying basic product information to customers and partners, and brand erosion. However, if you have embarked on the journey for redemption :-), I suggest to keep on reading. But let me firstly demystify what PIM is...just to lay good foundations (also check here , here , and here for further qualification of what PIM really  is). Now, my top reasons why you ought to consider transforming...

Over the past few years, we have assisted to an increasing shift in customer  behavior . Pervasive internet connectivity – along with the exponential adoption of mobile devices – has enabled shoppers to research and purchase products of all kinds, anytime and anywhere, using a combination of touch points they find most convenient. And it is not a passing fad. Consumers expect rich data and images to make purchase choices; business users need easy access to analytical data to make mission-critical decisions. These increasing demands for information are driving a need for improved product data availability and accuracy. And this is changing the way businesses go to market. A staggering number of bricks and mortar and manufacturers are reforming their models to respond to this challenge. The direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, while not new, is becoming the centre stage to address these challenges. The optimal DTC model will vary depending on specific and contextual busines...

Confronted with and discomforted by the enormous knowledge gap in the current Australia retail industry, my missionary spirit is urged to share a few angelical insights and resources to those who are battling against the business of living with the marketing materials from vendors, analysts, and consultants J There you are: PIM is a business capability to ensure that organizations collaboratively author, enrich, and distribute accurate, consistent, and validated product information across all the distribution points.   This is the best I can do with less than 25 words ;-) but it isn't marketing-friendly, is it? It does give you a lot to think about though (if you are an inquiring spirit). More assistance comes from the pieces linked below. Why Product Information Management Top 10 reasons to use Product MDM The easiest ROI for Product MDM Who Needs Product Master Data Management? ProductInformation Management: Definition, Purpose, and Offering There’s a l...