Data Management Strategy at Microsoft

3

Thousands to One – From Locally Siloed to Globally Centralized Processes

In this chapter, we will reflect on our transformative journey in which we evolved from 12 local data teams into a global data management powerhouse. Each region presented unique challenges with distinct data workflows and business requirements. Initially, our localized approach was effective, but the transition to a global scale necessitated a fundamental change in our processes and consolidation strategies.

We’ll review these strategies, along with easy and relevant examples, in the coming pages.

We will start with a pivotal example of this transition – our benchmark CRM account creation process, which merged various local practices into a unified global procedure. ...