Is data mesh only for large organisations? Many data mesh authorities argue that is the case. But I disagree, it isn’t primarily about company size at all, in fact a data mesh can be even more suitable in a scale up than an enterprise. Why?
IMO the maturity for a data mesh is rather based on:
- Pace of change in the analytical system.
- Degree of decentralization of the operational system.
A data mesh makes most sense if a central team becomes a bottle neck integrating new data sources, maintaining existing ones and serving that to a growing number of users, i.e. can’t keep up with the pace of change in the analytical system and hence causing slow-down and friction. But you don’t need many producers and consumers until it takes an army of people to build and maintain pipelines giving you full connectivity O(N2), hence it isn’t primarily about company size to reap benefits of data mesh.
Also, a data mesh is hard(er) to introduce from the analytical system if the operational system isn’t already decentralized and applying Domain-Driven Design. Hence, a smaller company may be much more mature in terms of decentralization and DDD than a large/enterprise company.
Both of these points may correlate with company size, but not necessarily so.
Hence, instead of talking about company size as the divider rather focus on the challenges/problems that a data mesh addresses as those could exist in smaller companies as well. Also, smaller companies may be more ready/have less cost of implementing a data mesh that makes it worthwhile even if the problem isn’t in the same scale as for an enterprise.
Please share your thoughts.