Data mesh, not data mess with Sonali Bhavsar, Accenture

Data is a land mine for growth, and more businesses are realizing the great potential it holds. The value and insights from data have seen a rise in demand within organizations, and with this rise comes the expectation of a rapid turnaround time. However, this poses a significant challenge to central data teams, who handle data management and analytics. This led to the concept of data mesh, a decentralized approach that reduces friction and gives business domains the ability to quickly access and query the data they need.

In this episode, Sonali Bhavsar, Managing Director for Global Data Governance at Accenture, joins us to talk about the four pillars of data mesh. She discusses how companies can start applying data mesh to their workflows. Sonali also shares how Accenture helps its clients achieve data-led transformations.

Tune in to the episode to know more about data mesh, its significance and some tips to apply it to any business.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

1. Learn about the four pillars of data mesh.
2. Understand why a federated approach is favored over a centralized system.
3. Discover how Accenture walks the talk in data mesh and data-led transformation.

Resources

• Bonus track episode on data mesh
• Connect with Sonali on LinkedIn

Episode Highlights

[00:33] The Four Pillars of Data Mesh

• Data mesh is an approach to reduce friction in data workflows in order to maximize the value of data.
• Its four pillars are data as a product, domain ownership, self-service data infrastructure, and federated computational governance.

[03:47] Federated vs. Centralized Approach

• A federated approach allows your line of business to make decisions on their operation and what they value to meet regulatory obligations within their jurisdictions.
• A centralized approach has not been a sustainable model for the longest time. However, it’s most likely to work for an isolated, less hierarchy-driven organization.
• Traditionally, data governance decisions made outside of the business lineup and restructuring can lead to delays or unwanted results.
• For more complex organizations, each line of business might need to implement data governance in a certain way that may change or evolve within those lines.

[07:14] Self-service Data Infrastructure

• A big wave of data literacy is happening and the end goal is self-service.
• Self-service means that the consumption of citizens’ data, whether internally or externally, is built on trust.

[08:13] Data Mesh Trends

• Data mesh is not a new concept, but it’s becoming a hot topic. There is now a stronger awareness of data as a product, which was more theoretical before.
• The decentralized form of data ownership came about because businesses now see more value in data and want to maximize it.

Sonali: “You really want to support that end data citizen to be flexible to use the...