'Death By Spreadsheet' - What Is It, and What Can Be Done About It?

It's ironic, isn't it? The organization is in a pickle because we've built all these data and process silos over the years, and the solution is to simplify things using a complex package, service-oriented architecture, a combination of both, or something else. So, we're replacing the organization's process and data silos with something that integrates much better, reduces effort and cost, and is less liable to lead to confusion, error, or even jail sentences for those held responsible.

How do we manage the design and implementation of this new nirvana? Does your organization carry out complex requirements analysis and design using standard office documents (Word, Excel, etc.)? Does this result in an impenetrable, unwieldy mess of artefact?

Share and learn during this interactive session, as we discuss why this happens, the problems that can rise, and some of the remedies available.

George is an independent information management practitioner, with 20+ years experience creating and managing models of various types in many organisations. He encourages organisations to connect and utilise their metadata islands, to recognise the wealth of information contained in their data models, to recognise that the creation of data models must form part of an integrated approach to improving their business, and therefore avoid the creation of metadata islands in the first place. He is a blogger, co-author of "Data Modeling Made Simple Using PowerDesigner" with Steve Hoberman, and author of several articles on TDAN.com. George is an established conference presenter - if you attend one of his presentations you'll see just how much importance he places on the use of modelling and metadata management tools. You can contact George at George.McGeachie@MetadataMatters.com, or via his blog - metadatajunkie.wordpress.com.