Add a Semantic Layer – a smart translator that sits between your data sources and your business applications
Tired of being told that silos are gone? The real value comes from connecting them.
🔄 The myth of data silos: why they never really disappear, and how to turn them into your biggest advantage.
Even after heavy IT investment, data silos never truly go away, they simply evolve. In food production, I saw this first-hand: every system (ERP, quality, IoT, POS) stored data in its own format. Sometimes, the same product ended up with different IDs across systems, batch information was fragmented, and data was dispersed in each silo.
People often say, “Break down the silos.” But in reality, that’s nearly impossible. Businesses change, new tools appear, acquisitions happen, teams shift, new processes and production lines are launched. Silos are part of digital life.
For years, I tried classic integrations. They helped a bit, but every change in one system caused more issues and even more integration work. I wish I had known then what I know now:
Stop trying to destroy silos. Start connecting them.
Here’s what makes the difference:
Add a Semantic Layer – a smart translator that sits between your data sources and your business applications. It maps different formats and names into a common language, without changing your original systems.
Put a Knowledge Graph on top and you don’t just translate – you connect. Suddenly, all your data sources, even legacy silos, become part of a single network. Products, ingredients, machines, partners, and customers are all logically linked and understood across your business.
In practice, this means:
- Production uses real sales and shelf-life data.
- Sales sees live inventory, not outdated reports.
- Forecasting is based on trustworthy, aligned data.
That’s the real shift:
Silos are not problems to kill, but assets to connect.
With a Semantic Layer and a Knowledge Graph, data silos become trusted building blocks for your business intelligence.
Better Data, Better ROI.
If you’ve ever spent hours reconciling reports, you’ll recognise this recurring pain in companies that haven’t optimised their data integration with a semantic and KG approach.
So: Do you still treat silos as problems, or could they be your next competitive advantage if you connect them the right way?
Meaningfy
#DataSilos #SemanticLayer #KnowledgeGraph #BusinessData #DigitalTransformation
Add a Semantic Layer – a smart translator that sits between your data sources and your business applications