The challenge
When an organization grows quickly across several countries, product data naturally becomes more complex. Not only in volume, but especially in the way data enters the organization, is enriched and is used further down the chain.
At Medi-Market, product information came together from multiple external systems and countries. At the same time, users could also create products themselves. That makes product enrichment flexible, but it also calls for clear agreements, control points and workflows.
Medi-Market needed:
- one central environment where product data from different sources comes together;
- a way to manage assets together with product data;
- workflows that better support collaboration between departments;
- extra validations to improve data quality;
- clear user roles for product enrichment;
- more control when mistakes are made.
The key question was not only technical. It was mainly about everyday usability: how do you allow different users, countries and data sources to work together in one PIM environment, without losing control or data quality?
Our approach
YellowGround joined after the MVP phase of the Syndigo project. The first setup was already in place. The assignment was not a full reimplementation, but to stabilize the system and make targeted improvements based on concrete needs from the business.
Proximity also played a role. With its headquarters in Belgium, Medi-Market was looking for a partner that could move quickly and take over the system knowledge from close by. In the initial phase, YellowGround went on site several times to get to know the environment properly and take the right context into account.
After that, the collaboration ran through Medi-Market’s business analyst. Tasks were discussed and followed up in a daily meeting. This made it possible to analyze, implement and align improvements in a focused way.
Stabilizing after MVP
After the first go-live, the focus was on stability and ease of use. Not by restarting the project, but by gradually aligning the Syndigo environment after MVP with what users needed in their daily work.
YellowGround worked on, among other things:
- extra validations to improve data quality;
- new user roles to define product enrichment more clearly;
- improvements to the user interface;
- additional fields to enrich more product data;
- a rollback option for when mistakes had been made at product level.
These are exactly the kinds of improvements that often make the difference in a PIM project after the first go-live. The real value often emerges when the system becomes reliable, clear and workable for the teams using it every day.
Better data quality through validations
One of the most important improvements was the addition of extra validations. These help catch mistakes earlier in the process, before product data flows on to other systems.
For an organization with multiple countries, external data sources and different users, that matters. The more people and sources are involved, the greater the need for control during the process. That is why it is important not only to check data quality afterwards, but to build it into the process as much as possible.
Clearer roles for product enrichment
Alongside validations, new user roles were also set up. These make it easier to define who is allowed to enrich or change which data.
This makes collaboration between users and departments clearer. Teams can work in the same system without overwriting each other’s data. In that way, Syndigo PIM becomes not only a central place for product data, but also an environment where collaboration is better guided.
Product data and assets in one environment
Assets were also brought more centrally into the PIM process. Where images and documents were previously stored in another system, they can now be managed together with the product data in the same environment.
This creates more overview and makes product enrichment more complete. For users, it mainly means that product information and related assets are less scattered.
Integrations with external data sources
Syndigo PIM collects input from external data suppliers and exports product data towards an integration layer. This allows product information to be enriched centrally and then flow on to other systems.
For Medi-Market, this is important to manage product data more consistently across different countries and contexts.
Results and impact
With the improvements after MVP, the Syndigo PIM environment became easier to manage for product enrichment across multiple countries.
More overview of product data and assets
Product data from different sources and countries comes together in one system. Assets can also be managed there. This gives users a clearer view of the information needed to enrich products completely.
Better data quality
The extra validations help catch mistakes earlier in the process. Product data can therefore be enriched more consistently before it is used in other systems.
Clearer responsibilities
New user roles make it clearer who is allowed to change or enrich which data. This helps define product enrichment more clearly between users and departments.
Better collaboration in workflows
Different users can work in the same system without overwriting each other’s data. This makes the workflow around product enrichment more reliable and easier to manage.
More control when something goes wrong
When mistakes are made at product level, a rollback can be performed. This gives users more room to make corrections in a controlled way.
