Metadata is of critical interest in today’s data-driven business environment, and there is a growing awareness of the need for both business and technical users to embrace it, says Donna Burbank, Managing Director of Global Data Strategy and author of “Data Modeling for the Business” and “Data Modeling Made Simple.” Speaking at a previous Data Architecture Online conference, Burbank talked about practical […]
The Changing Role of the Chief Data Officer
In a 2005 interview, Usama Fayyad described his recent appointment as Yahoo’s chief data officer (CDO), a role that had been introduced in the business world only a few years prior. He defined a CDO as: “Someone to lead all strategic data activities and to represent data as a strategic asset that DRIVES business and […]
Data Ethics 101
Data ethics ensures that businesses handle data – beginning with its acquisition and ending with its distribution – with full attention to individual rights, privacy, and consent. Moreover, ethical decision-making in businesses has to strike a balance between technology and morality to preserve individual rights. This includes considerations around transparency, accountability, and fairness in the […]
Data Integrity: What It Is and Why It Matters
The term “garbage in, garbage out,” or GIGO, dates back to the earliest days of commercial computing in the mid-20th century. Yet the concept was present more than 100 years earlier at the very dawn of computing. When Charles Babbage first described his difference engine, a member of Parliament asked him whether the machine could generate […]
Data Modeling and Data Models: Not Just for Database Design
“The main purpose of a data model is actually not to design a database – it’s to describe a business,” said Christopher Bradley, information strategist at DMA Advisors. Bradley spoke at a recent Data Architecture Online conference about the purpose of Data Modeling and its role in Data Governance and the modern successful business. Are […]
Data Governance and AI Governance: Where Do They Intersect?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming businesses and industries worldwide with new data products and services. A recent Stanford University AI Index Report found that about 55% of companies have already implemented AI in at least one business unit or function. To get the best results, organizations need to connect AI and its data activity with their business strategy. So, […]
Data Ethics 101
The term “data ethics” refers to a set of guidelines that ensure data collection, use, and management processes respect privacy and security while safeguarding fairness. This includes considering the implications of data collection methods, the transparency of algorithms used to process information, and how decisions based on data analysis might affect individuals and communities. What […]
Adaptive Data Governance: What, Why, How
In DATAVERSITY’s 2023 Trends in Data Management survey, about 64% of participants stated that their companies had Data Governance (DG), the formalization and enforcement of data operations across the company, in the initial stages. Yet, 60.9% listed data silos as the greatest Data Management challenge. If DG is supposed to break down data silos for better insights while ensuring compliance […]
Understanding the Modern Data Stack
The modern data stack is a collection of tools used to collect, store, and analyze data. Understanding the components of a modern data stack is crucial in grasping how contemporary data ecosystems function. At its core, data engineering plays a pivotal role by focusing on the practical application of data collection, storage, and retrieval. This discipline ensures […]
A Brief History of Data Quality
The term “Data Quality” focuses primarily on the level of accuracy possessed by the data, but also includes other qualities such as accessibility and usefulness. Some data isn’t accurate at all, which, in turn, promotes bad decision-making. Some organizations promote fact-checking and Data Governance, and, as a consequence, make decisions that give them an advantage. […]