Welcome
Data migrations fail. Not occasionally, but routinely. Projects that were scoped, funded, and staffed correctly still run over time and budget. The worst outcome is not that you distrust the data after migration. It is that your core systems do not work properly after cutover: invoices cannot be raised, orders cannot be actioned, customer queries cannot be answered.
This course exists because there is a better way, and it is teachable.
The Practical Data Migration (PDM) methodology was developed by Johny Morris over two decades working on large-scale data migrations for major systems integrators. It has been refined across hundreds of projects and codified into a structured approach that any data migration team can apply.
What You Will Learn
This course follows the PDM methodology from strategy through to legacy decommissioning. By the end you will be able to:
- Explain why data migrations fail and how PDM addresses those root causes
- Plan and execute a data migration strategy using PDM tools and artefacts
- Build and lead a single virtual team across the business and IT - rather than managing a hand-off between two separate sides
- Apply the core PDM processes: Landscape Analysis, Gap Analysis & Mapping, Data Quality Rules, Business Transformation Realisation, and Migration Design & Execution
- Govern a data migration programme using release management and configuration control
- Run a clean legacy decommissioning
Course Structure
After this short introduction, the course is built around nine modules, two workstreams, and a running case study.
| Module | Topic |
|---|---|
| 01 | Foundations - why migrations fail, the Golden Rules, the PDM process |
| 02 | Strategy & Scope - the Migration Strategy Guide, project decomposition |
| 03 | Analysis - landscape analysis, gap analysis, data quality, stakeholder management |
| 04 | Governance & Methods - release management, DMZ, delivery approaches |
| 05 | Technical Design - ETL architecture, migration design, fallback planning |
| 06 | Build, Test & Execute - the build phase, testing, go-live, decommissioning |
| 07 | Data Migration Software - tools landscape, selection criteria |
| 08 | DHGS Case Study - end-to-end walkthrough of a real project scenario |
| 09 | Crisis Recovery - rescuing a failing data migration project |
The two workstreams that run throughout PDM are:
- Technical - the analytical and engineering work
- Business Engagement - the relationship and governance work
Both workstreams are equally important. Most migration failures happen on the Business Engagement side, not the technical side.
The DHGS Case Study
Running through the course is a practical case study based on Deep Hole Gravel Services Plc (DHGS), a regional gravel and infill products supplier migrating multiple legacy systems onto a single ERP platform.
The case study is realistic in scale and complexity. You will see the same organisations, data owners, and data quality issues appear and reappear across modules, mirroring how a real project unfolds over time.
Module 08 brings the case study together as a standalone capstone, but each module introduces the relevant DHGS artefacts as they come up.
A Note on Terminology
PDM uses precise terminology for its artefacts and roles. The terms matter - using them correctly helps teams communicate clearly and helps you recognise PDM concepts when you encounter them in practice.
Key terms are introduced as they appear, and each module’s key takeaways include a terminology summary where relevant.