Creating and Implementing Metadata Strategy

7/30/2019 Creating and Implementing Metadata Strategy

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Metadata Management Best Practices 1/12/200

(C) Alabama Yankee Systems, LLC

Turning Data into

Knowledge: Creating andImplementing a Metadata

Strategy

Anne Marie Smith

http://www.annemariesmith.com

http://www.alabamayankeesystems.com

1/12/2006 (C) 2005 -2006 Alabama Yankee Systems, LLC 2

Agenda

Introduction

Metadata Overview

Principles of Metadata Management

Metadata Strategy

Key Roles in Metadata Management

Metadata Quality Important Aspects of Metadata

Conclusion


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Anne Marie Smith

Background BA and MBA Management Information Systems (La Salle

University)

PhD, Management Information Systems (NorthCentralUniversity)

Consultant in data management, metadata, data warehousing,requirements analysis, systems re-engineering

Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)

Certified Data Management Professional (www.iccp.org)

Author of over 40 publications and papers

Instructor on varied information systems management topics


Definition of "Metadata"

Metadata: "data about data"Collection of information about the data stored in anapplication or database

Examples: Data element definition Data element business name

Data element systems abbreviation Data type and data size Data element source location

Dictionary


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Data Orientation Movement

Traditional systems development focused onprocesses, not data as foundation

Data orientation is a major cultural shiftchange in methods used to design and deliversystems

change in perception, access and assetmanagement of data and information


Data is a sharable resourceEffective use and reuse of data requires anenterprise view of essential concepts, entities andattributes for cross-application and cross-departmental functionality

Enterprise view MUST be generated at the top of

an organization, with active commitment andsupport for efforts

Enterprise View of Data


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Goals of Metadata Strategy

Provide business orientation as foundation forsharing data assets across entire organization

Offer recognition of value of data and its componentsDevelop map for managing expanding informationrequirements

Highlight importance of central data administrationAddress data quality, data integrity, data reuseMeasurement of value of information


Strategic Plan for Information

Evaluate and choose a systems methodologyCustomize methodology for data orientation andbusiness focus

Develop and implement metadata strategyIntegrate new methodology in systems developmentand maintenance


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Data Administration Objectives

Build a framework for accurately capturing, sharing,distributing, securing and leveraging a company's dataresources, including creating and refining data modelsand establishing and maintaining an enterprise datarepository

Strategically plan for a company's future informationrequirements

Support data self-reliance and efficient use of data in

business practices


Principles of MetadataManagement

Establish a metadata strategy / policy

Create or adopt a metadata standards set

Establish and maintain data / metadatastewardship role and function

Establish and maintain collection of relevantmetadata

Publish relevant metadata Maintain metadata standards set

Maintain metadata content in all systems


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Keys to Metadata

Management Develop metadata strategy before embarking on

evaluating, purchasing and installing complexmanagement products

Products / tools are necessary for effectivemanagement of metadata

Senior management commitment to metadatamanagement is required - cost and time issues

Explanation of WHY metadata is needed and thepurpose of each type of metadata

Policies to ensure acronyms and abbreviations are

interoperable Procedures to ensure policies are implemented

correctly


Enterprise MetadataStrategy

Offer recognition of value of data and its metadata(corporate assets)

Establish information requirements and instill datamanagement / metadata management practices intoorganization

Address data quality, data reuse, data integrity issuesfor legacy applications and new development

Promote enterprise use of data management tools andtechniques

Highlight importance of central data administration

Measurement of value of information


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Metadata Challenge

Broad: some metadata for every productionapplication and structure

Deep: detailed metadata for criticalproduction applications and structures

Decision points: What groups have pain? Why does painexist?

What processes can be leveraged for maintenance?

What metadata is readily available and will be useful?

Who owns metadata in an organization?


Metadata StrategyComponents

Metadata Responsibility and UsageMetadata ElementsMetadata SourcesMetadata QualityMetadata Storage and ProductsMetadata Standards and Procedures

Metadata TrainingMetadata Measurement


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Kinds of Metadata

Direct: Byproduct of original source information

systems that create, maintain and dispensedata

Indirect: Created after direct metadata derived from

system artifacts, uses of system, analysisand decision-making


Metadata Committee

Data AdministrationData AnalystsRepository Administrator

Database AdministrationData StewardsRotating Application Development programmers


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Metadata Responsibilities

Data Stewardship: responsible for consistencyand integrity of data objects under their control;usually from functional business units

Data Custodians: responsible for syntacticalvalue of data; usually from Data Administrationand/or Database Administration

Jointly establish standards and procedures for proper use,

quality control and integration (stewardship team)


Key Metadata ManagementTasks

Establish data owners, custodians and users

Formalize data stewardship committee

Define corporate data and process standards

Define edit philosophy and user educationphilosophy

Centralize information object identificationand control processes and impactassessment


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Key Metadata Management

Tasks Define basic enterprise information through

an enterprise data model

Develop application data and processmodels based on enterprise model - defineapplication information

Oversee application development andimplement change control procedures

Define data and metadata accessprocesses and choose appropriate tools


Metadata Responsibility andUse

Data Ownership syntactical value of data

Data Stewardship consistency and integrityof metadata

Establish standards andprocedures

Proper use, qualitycontrol andmeasurement

Integration with

methodology andbusiness


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Metadata Elements and

Sources

Business definitions and business namesSystems definitions and systems namesCASE models and element relationshipsData element sources and targets (programs, files,databases, etc...)

Methods for consolidating Metadata from multiplesources


Quality: Imperative!

Low-quality metadata creates: Replicated dictionaries / repositories /

metadata storage

Inconsistent metadata

Competing sources of metadata truth

High quality metadata creates:

Confident, cross-organizational development Consistent understanding of the values of the

data resources

Metadata knowledgeacross the organization


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Metadata Quality - 1

Data Accuracy: how well data values represent theactual business requirements

Data Completeness: how well available data meetscurrent and future business information demands

Data Currency: how timely are data valuesData ConsistencyData Integrity: conformation of source data values tothose allowed by business rules (data characteristics,default values, referential integrity constraints, derived

data values)Data Source and Target


Metadata Quality - 2

Data Version: which data values best represent theactual state at a point in time

Data Translation: how data values were convertedbetween variations of the same data characteristics (forformat and value variations)

Data Integration: steps to reduce data redundancy anddata variability (e.g., 10 versus 7 positions; data code

translation)Data SummarizationData Recasting: primary key changes, content andmeaning changes, missing periods of data


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Metadata Standards

Established by Metadata CommitteeNaming standards

Abbreviations (systems and business)Class wordsCode valuesBusiness names and definitions

CASE modeling standardsEntity and element creation/modification proceduresStorage and accessibility of standards and

procedures


Choosing or Creating aStandard

What schema should an organization use

for metadata (i.e. how do we structuremetadata)?

Use a standard schema (good forinteroperability) or develop one (mayprovide better support for local needs)

Choice may require significant compromise combination approach may be acceptable


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Metadata Storage and

Products

Central versus distributed storageActive versus passive storagePhysical requirements of storage facilityMetadata products, capabilities and integration

RepositoryCASE dictionaryWarehouse managerQuery tool data dictionary


Metadata Training

SystemsData AdministrationDatabase AdministrationApplication Development and maintenance

programmingExecutive

BusinessPrimary users (e.g., data stewards)Secondary usersExecutive


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Metadata Measurement

Measure use and effectiveness of metadataMeasure success of quality control programMeasure acceptance and success of stewardshipIntegration of metadata strategy into systemsmethodology and business practices


Cultural Change Required

Data orientation and a focus on metadata requirea conscious cultural change from individuallydeveloped applications to a unified acceptanceand usage of data as the foundation of informationand knowledge

Change is unsettling to all creatures - expectationsand reactions must be anticipated, addressed and

resolvedTo be effective, cultural change must be managedin a spirit of co-operation and mutual accountability


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Conclusions

Metadata Strategy can assist in achievement of dataand information / intelligence goals

Metadata Strategy should be part of acomprehensive customized systems methodologyand developed in conjunction with the businesscommunity

Establishment and implementation of metrics and apermanent committee for implementation arefundamental to the success of a Metadata Strategy


Questions and

Answers


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Metadata Reference

Sources http://dublincore.org/

http://metadata-standards.org

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/

http://www.ulb.ac.be/ceese/meta/meta.html

Documents

Creating and Implementing Metadata Strategy