Data Architecture

6. Business Organizations

Purpose and Mission of the Organization

Once the stable data foundation that is being used by the organization today has been defined by adequate analysis, then a projection can be made of the data foundation that will be needed in the future. In order to perform this current organizational analysis, a review must be done of the prime purpose of the organization’s existence: its purpose and mission.

The purpose and mission of an organization may appear to be obvious. In fact, it may be too obvious. So obvious, in fact, that it is never documented and is assumed to be present. For example, the purpose of a school is to educate. The purpose of a store is to sell retail goods. The purpose of a bank is to make money by accepting ...