Change management: definition and role in PIM

In PIM practice, change management covers new roles such as data owners and stewards, new workflows, training, communication and adoption tracking. A PIM changes who decides about product data and how teams work together, so the change reaches beyond the product data team.

Illustrative example: a distributor introduces attribute ownership with its PIM. Product managers receive approval tasks for the first time, and adoption rises after a short training and a monthly completeness report per owner.

In a selection, involving future users early is the first change management step. Stewards and owners who help write requirements and score demos accept the outcome more readily. The implementation plan should budget time for training and adoption alongside configuration. Adoption metrics, such as open tasks per owner and completeness trends, show whether the new roles work in practice.