As with most community financial institutions, Enterprise Bank approaches digital transformation and modernization incrementally.

Enterprise Bank's journey toward data maturity began in 2018 when the IT team invested in a first version of a strategic plan and roadmap for data management. A Data Governance Committee was formed, and they began tackling initiatives. The team continued following the roadmap, however not quite to the pace originally set out, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and competing priorities.

In 2023, the team approached Ippon to renew that plan while helping envision a future, data-driven bank, not the least of which included the impacts of AI, middleware, and modern data architecture.

Ippon’s approach to renewing and improving the data management roadmap involved early on-site discovery followed by iterative research and gap analysis over four weeks, leveraging a nimble assessment team of three SMEs with banking and data management expertise.

Ippon started the engagement with a deep discovery week on-site, hosting several days of workshops and interviews to understand current initiatives in progress, pace, concerns, and vision in the coming years. Collaborative input outside IT included Marketing, Risk, and Retail.

The resulting roadmap includes notional architecture for a more modern, data-driven bank with five swimlanes of 30 initiatives thoughtfully articulated over 3+ years. Initiatives include a project detail covering the business case categorized by the following five themes: AI, Data Infrastructure, Data Governance, Middleware, and Business Intelligence.

As Enterprise Bank continues to grow past the $5B threshold, it looks to further distinguish and mature its technology stack, as much as its use of data as an organizational strategic asset. The IT team recognized the journey to data management maturity is one that requires discipline, and their data strategy and roadmap – now updated for the new era of AI – can continue to serve as critical to the success of staying relevant and competitive.

Since wrapping the Roadmap, Enterprise Bank continues to leverage Ippon in efforts to execute warranted projects, including a Pilot Wiki for Data Mapping, an initial AI Policy, and crafting the Bank’s API Strategy and Implementation Guide.

Enterprise Bank is a 35-year-old traditional commercial bank nearing $5B in assets and serving 23 communities in the greater Boston footprint.

"The data flow diagrams and API standards Ippon helped us create are not only going to fulfill our short-term needs but position us well for the future as our Data Management program continues to mature. Ippon has been and continues to be a valued partner assisting us with our data management needs. They not only help us develop our strategy but execute on that strategy as well."

-Eric Pearson, Senior Vice President, Core Banking and Data Management