Data warehousing process maturity: An exploratory study of factors influencing user perceptions

This paper explores the factors influencing perceptions of data warehousing process maturity. Data warehousing, like software development, is a process, which can be expressed in terms of components such as artifacts and workflows. In software engineering, the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) was developed to define different levels of software process maturity. We draw upon the concepts underlying CMM to define different maturity levels for a data warehousing process (DWP). Based on the literature in software development and maturity, we identify a set of features for characterizing the levels of data warehousing process maturity and conduct an exploratory field study to empirically examine if those indeed are factors influencing perceptions of maturity. Our focus in this paper is on managerial perceptions of DWP. The results of this exploratory study indicate that several factors-data quality, alignment of architecture, change management, organizational readiness, and data warehouse size-have an impact on DWP maturity, as perceived by IT professionals. From a practical standpoint, the results provide useful pointers, both managerial and technological, to organizations aspiring to elevate their data warehousing processes to more mature levels. This paper also opens up several areas for future research, including instrument development for assessing DWP maturity.