Strategic Objectives¶
Before you start building an EKG, you need alignment across four dimensions. This is your executive readiness checklist.
Business Pillar¶
The question: Does your organization know why it's building an EKG?
- Executive sponsorship exists with clear accountability
- Strategic use cases are defined and prioritized
- Business outcomes are measurable and time-bound
- Lines of business are engaged, not just IT
- ROI expectations are realistic and documented
Red flags:
- "We need a knowledge graph because everyone else has one"
- No business sponsor, only technical champions
- Use cases defined by technology capabilities, not business needs
Organization Pillar¶
The question: Do you have the people, skills, and structures to deliver?
- Roles and responsibilities are defined (who owns what)
- Skills assessment completed (gaps identified)
- Governance model established (who decides what)
- Operating model defined (how work gets done)
- Change management plan exists (people will resist)
Red flags:
- No dedicated team or budget
- "We'll figure out governance later"
- Expecting existing staff to "just add this to their plate"
Explore the Organization Pillar
Data Pillar¶
The question: Is your data ready to be connected and trusted?
- Critical data assets are identified and catalogued
- Data quality issues are known (not hidden)
- Data ownership is clear (no orphan datasets)
- Master data strategy exists (single source of truth)
- Semantic standards are adopted or planned
Red flags:
- "Our data is fine" (it never is)
- No data lineage or provenance tracking
- Every system has its own definition of "customer"
Technology Pillar¶
The question: Can your infrastructure support an EKG at enterprise scale?
- Architecture strategy includes knowledge graph capabilities
- Integration approach defined (how systems connect)
- Security and access control model designed
- Performance requirements understood
- Build vs. buy decisions made for key components
Red flags:
- Planning to "rip and replace" everything
- No integration strategy beyond "we'll use APIs"
- Security as an afterthought
The Bottom Line¶
If you can't check most of these boxes, you're not ready to build an EKG. That's not a failure---it's valuable information.
The EKG Maturity Model helps you understand exactly where you stand across all four pillars, what level of maturity you need for your goals, and what it takes to get there.
Start with an honest assessment. Then build a realistic roadmap.