What is Decision-Centric Architecture

Definition

Decision-centric architecture designs data and analytics systems around the decisions they are meant to support, working backward from key decisions to the data, models, and delivery needed, so technology investment is driven by decision value rather than data for its own sake.

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Aligns data and analytics investment to actual decisions
Works backward from decisions to required data and models
Avoids building data assets that serve no real decision
Maximises the business value of analytics work

Real World Example

Rather than warehousing all available data, a company uses decision-centric architecture to identify its top decisions, then builds only the data products and models those decisions require, focusing effort where it pays off.

FAQs

What is the principle of decision-centric architecture?

Designing systems by starting from the decisions to support and working back to the data, models, and delivery needed.

Why design around decisions?

It ensures analytics investment delivers decision value rather than accumulating data with no clear purpose.

How does it change priorities?

It prioritises building the data and models that support high-value decisions over collecting data indiscriminately.