Data steward
Encyclopedia
In metadata
, a data steward is a person that is responsible for maintaining a data element
in a metadata registry
. A data steward may share some responsibilities with a data custodian
.
Data stewardship roles are common when organizations are attempting to exchange data precisely and consistently between computer systems and reuse data-related resources. Master data management
often makes references to the need for data stewardship for its implementation to succeed.
Assignment of each data element to a person sometimes seems like an unimportant process. But many groups have found that users have greater trust and usage rates in systems where they can contact a person with questions on each data element.
metadata registry] furnishes an example of data stewardship. Note that each data element therein has a "POC" (point of contact).
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
, a data steward is a person that is responsible for maintaining a data element
Data element
In metadata, the term data element is an atomic unit of data that has precise meaning or precise semantics. A data element has:# An identification such as a data element name# A clear data element definition# One or more representation terms...
in a metadata registry
Metadata registry
A metadata registry is a central location in an organization where metadata definitions are stored and maintained in a controlled method.-Use of Metadata Registries:...
. A data steward may share some responsibilities with a data custodian
Data custodian
In Data Governance groups, responsibilities for data management are increasingly divided between the business process owners and information technology departments. Two functional titles commonly used for these roles are Data Steward and Data Custodian....
.
Data stewardship roles are common when organizations are attempting to exchange data precisely and consistently between computer systems and reuse data-related resources. Master data management
Master Data Management
In computing, master data management comprises a set of processes and tools that consistently defines and manages the non-transactional data entities of an organization...
often makes references to the need for data stewardship for its implementation to succeed.
Data Steward Responsibilities
A data steward ensures that each assigned data element:- Has clear and unambiguous data element definitionData element definitionIn metadata, a data element definition is a human readable phrase or sentence associated with a data element within a data dictionary that describes the meaning or semantics of a data element....
. - Does not conflict with other data elements in the metadata registry (removes duplicates, overlap etc.)
- Has clear enumerated value definitions if it is of type CodeCode (metadata)In metadata, the representation term code refers to, and is used in the name of, data elements whose allowable values can be represented as enumerated lists. Each enumerated value is a string that for brevity represents a specific meaning. For example, for a PersonGenderCode the allowable code...
. - Is still being used (remove unused data elements)
- Is being used consistently in various computer systems
- Has adequate documentation on appropriate usage and notes
- Documents the origin and sources of authority on each metadata element
Benefits of data stewardship
Systematic data stewardship can foster:- consistent use of data management resources
- easy mapping of data between computer systems and exchange documents
- lower costs associated with migration to (for example) Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
Assignment of each data element to a person sometimes seems like an unimportant process. But many groups have found that users have greater trust and usage rates in systems where they can contact a person with questions on each data element.
Examples
The http://www.epa.gov/edrEPAUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
metadata registry] furnishes an example of data stewardship. Note that each data element therein has a "POC" (point of contact).
See also
- MetadataMetadataThe term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
- Metadata registryMetadata registryA metadata registry is a central location in an organization where metadata definitions are stored and maintained in a controlled method.-Use of Metadata Registries:...
- Data elementData elementIn metadata, the term data element is an atomic unit of data that has precise meaning or precise semantics. A data element has:# An identification such as a data element name# A clear data element definition# One or more representation terms...
- Data element definitionData element definitionIn metadata, a data element definition is a human readable phrase or sentence associated with a data element within a data dictionary that describes the meaning or semantics of a data element....
- Representation termRepresentation termA representation term is a word, or a combination of words, that semantically represent the data type of a data element. A representation term is commonly referred to as a class word by those familiar with data dictionaries...
- ISO/IEC 11179ISO/IEC 11179ISO/IEC 11179 is an international standard for representing metadata for an organization in a metadata registry.- Intended purpose :...