Data Shadow Systems

Data Shadow Systems (sometimes called spreadmarts) are frequently-seen departmental Systems (usually spreadsheets) that the more technically inclined members of business groups create for their co-workers to use to gather and analyze Data on their own when they do not want to work with IT or cannot wait for them. They might just be one-off reports, or they can be as serious as full-fledged analytical applications used extensively for Data integration. Data Shadow Systems create silos, resulting in inconsistent Data across the enterprise. They often frustrate IT groups, who do not understand why departments are not using the “official” IT BI tools. Business people are frustrated because the Data Shadow System gives them what they want. Resolving the problem of Data Shadow Systems requires a compromise between the business and the IT groups, and not losing the valuable parts of the Data Shadow Systems. The BI team needs to identify them, and either replace them or incorporate them into the overall BI program.