What should a consultant do when two business lines disagree on the necessity of a new field?

The most appropriate action in this scenario is to use the established governance committee for resolution. This committee typically includes representatives from various business lines and stakeholders, and it serves as a structured forum for discussing and resolving differences. Utilizing this governance body ensures that decisions are made collaboratively, taking into account the perspectives and requirements of all parties involved. This approach helps to mitigate misunderstandings and promotes a unified vision for the use of data across the organization.

Engaging the governance committee can lead to a more thoughtful and strategic decision regarding the necessity of the new field, rather than making a unilateral decision that may lead to further disputes down the line. It also provides transparency in the process, reinforcing trust among teams.

While fulfilling the request and restricting field visibility addresses one party's desires immediately, it does not resolve the underlying disagreement and may create confusion or frustration among stakeholders. Similarly, negotiating quickly between the groups may overlook important details or nuances, potentially leading to a solution that is not in the best interest of the organization as a whole. Adding the field to a sandbox for testing could provide a temporary solution but does not address the disagreement directly and might lead to wasted resources if the field ends up not being necessary.