Hidden streams of information in today's software projects

The highly integrated data and application architectures being deployed by many organizations today have created a growing need for integrated data management. As common data is now shared throughout distributed applications rather than maintained in silos, it is critical that the definition, structure, and usage of the data be uniformly understood and applied, to enable the free exchange of information across systems. The process of moving toward this state and then maintaining new, integrated systems results in new information needs within projects, departments, and the enterprise. Just as corporate data must flow freely through software systems, business success often requires that these other types of information must stream through the organization, unimpeded by organizational boundaries and legacy practices. Some of these information streams are highly visible. Others are hidden, underground flows that represent established networks of people, ad-hoc functions, and informal quality stewards. Still others are new to all involved, representing the connections between pools of knowledge that are all essential to an integration project.