Case Study: Expert Solution Architect accelerates Collibra use case implementation and adoption

The challenge

A major division of a global pharmaceutical leader faced a critical disconnect between their business operations and their data landscape. While the organization heavily invested in purchasing external datasets from various vendors, they lacked the internal expertise to effectively govern these assets within their Collibra environment.

The client struggled with:

• “Black Box” spending and duplicate purchases: A lack of visibility into purchased inventory led to the acquisition of duplicate datasets and redundant spending.
• Missing context: There was no bridge between the “business layer” (contracts and vendors) and the “physical layer” (where data resided in systems), making lineage and data flow impossible to track.
• Lack of business taxonomy and discoverability: Data assets were not enriched with consistent business dimensions. As a result, users could not easily discover relevant datasets, which significantly limited the value of the platform and slowed down data-driven decision making.
• Translation barriers: The client required a specialist capable of translating complex business requirements into technical technical execution within the Collibra Data Intelligence Platform.

The solution

Murdio provided a dedicated Collibra Solution Architect embedded directly into the client’s project team. Acting as the bridge between business stakeholders and the technical engineering team, the Expert for Hire delivered a comprehensive governance framework:

1. Strategic metamodel design & lineage The Solution Architect led the design of a custom metamodel to map complex relationships between Vendors, Contracts, and Physical Data Sources. This work established full data lineage, tracing data from external acquisition through internal transformation and storage.
2. Advanced integration logic & automation Moving beyond standard configuration, the Architect designed logic for a custom integration with the client’s internal Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system.
3. Automated lifecycle management: Designed workflows to monitor contract “End Dates.” If a contract expires, the system automatically changes the asset status to “Expired,” mitigating compliance risks.
4. Recertification processes: Architected a “pending recertification” workflow to handle contract extensions without disrupting business continuity.
5. Business context & taxonomy The Solution Architect worked with stakeholders to define and implement a robust business taxonomy. This involved enriching data with dimensions such as Therapeutic Areas, Diseases, and Brands, allowing users to locate specific assets (e.g., oncology-related data) instantly.
6. Third-Party Agreement (TPA) modeling The Architect expanded the scope to include Third-Party Agreements, designing a complex governance model for scenarios where other vendors process data on the client’s behalf. This ensured that access rights within the Data Marketplace are dynamically checked against valid contractual agreements.
7. Advisory and best practices Beyond technical implementation, the Solution Architect acted as a strategic advisor:

• Leading “best practices” sessions to standardize governance across the enterprise.
• Conducting training to drive user adoption.
• Designing “crowdsourcing” workflows that allow users to propose new vendors or subject areas, fostering a community-driven approach.

The results: From dependency to self-sufficiency

The engagement of the Murdio Solution Architect, combined with close collaboration with stakeholders and a strong focus on truly understanding the client’s business needs, transformed the client’s data culture, driving high adoption and operational maturity. By embedding deeply into the client’s team and building trusted relationships across business and technical stakeholders, Murdio ensured that the solution was not only implemented but genuinely embraced by the organization.

• Platform growth: The implementation supported the creation of approximately 700 Data products and the successful onboarding of modern platforms like Databricks.
• User engagement: In 2025, the platform saw 11,000 user visits (a 35% YoY increase) and a 15% increase in active Data Steward engagement.
• Organizational maturity: The primary value delivered by the Expert for Hire was enabling client self-sufficiency. The client has transitioned from relying on external consultants for basic tasks to developing their own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and managing routine governance independently.