How much is gained from adopting an IDM strategy depends on how deeply it's incorporate into the IT strategy and how mature the data policy framework is.
Deeply-integrated IDM solutions have the capacity to be transformational, re-framing identity data into a trustworthy organisational asset and springboarding initiatives not practical under a manual administration model.
Benefits of a good strategy include:
- End users see updates actioned much faster across integrated systems;
- Trust is built through data being identical across integrated systems;
- New integrations are often easier since they only need to integrate with the IDM (particularly true where multiple systems would otherwise have to be integrated);
- Removal of duplicate manual administration;
- Good security practices such as "role-based", "just enough" and "just in time" access;
- Facilitates self-service, taking pressure of centralised staff.