New Study Examines Practical Applications of Data Mesh and Data Fabric

[Würzburg], [September 11, 2024] – The new BARC study, “Data Mesh and Data Fabric – From Theory to Application,” provides exciting insights into the practical implementation of the concepts of Data Mesh and Data Fabric in businesses. Around 200 companies were surveyed about their data strategies and architectures for the study, highlighting key developments and trends in how organizations manage their data.

Decentralization as the Key to Success

One of the central findings of the study is that more companies are adopting decentralized data management. Instead of traditional, centralized data and analytics platforms, many organizations now prefer a distributed structure where the responsibility for data products shifts to individual business units. This change allows departments to directly contribute their expertise to the development of data products, leading to more relevant and higher-quality outcomes.

“The decentralization of data responsibility allows business users to create valuable and relevant data products,” emphasizes co-author Jacqueline Bloemen. “This approach increases business agility and flexibility, leading to better business outcomes.”

Hybrid Platform Strategies on the Rise

Another important finding of the study is the growing popularity of hybrid platform strategies. While many companies still use a central data and analytics platform, there is a clear trend toward supplemental, specialized platforms for specific use cases such as IoT data or Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). The study recommends a hybrid platform strategy to both optimize efficiency and meet diverse analytical needs.

Data Mesh: Great Potential, but Slow Implementation

Although the concept of Data Mesh offers significant potential, particularly in terms of improving business agility and satisfaction, the study shows that implementation is still slow in practice. The authors stress that strengthening organizational commitment and defining clear communication and implementation steps are crucial to fully realize the benefits of Data Mesh.

Free Download

The study “Data Mesh and Data Fabric – From Theory to Application” provides valuable insights and practical recommendations for companies looking to optimize their data and analytics infrastructure. The findings highlight the need for decentralized data management and a hybrid platform strategy to successfully meet the challenges of modern data environments.

Thanks to sponsorship from One Data, the study is available for free.

Download: https://barc.com/research/data-mesh-data-fabric-2024/

Infographic: https://barc.com/infographic-data-mesh-data-fabric-2024/