Data management is an essential part of any business, and it's important to understand the core principles that will help you maximize data effectiveness across your organization. These eight key principles provide a firm foundation for creating a robust and cohesive data management system when combined with a robust and scalable database software package. The first principle is to ensure that all efforts and investments made for data management are not only implemented, but are well maintained for years to come. This includes both infrastructure security measures and compliance with management best practices regarding user access and authority to access various types of data within the system.
The second principle is to create a value stream assignment event. This will result in a list of iterative steps that will create the vision of mature data management, as defined in your master data management framework. The third principle is to use metadata to confirm that key data management principles are being followed and can act as input to leadership data dashboards. Metadata also helps you track the progress of your data management initiatives.
The fourth principle is to create a data management plan that describes the generalized results or uses of data and how documentation associated with the entire system is managed. This plan should include SMART Outcome Key Results (OKR) to ensure that the controls and maintenance of your data enable agile problem resolution, decision-making, customer analysis and business protection. The fifth principle is to add several levels to a concept, allowing for a rapid aggregation or deepening of these concepts through the metadata described in the plan. This helps you better understand how your data is being used and how it can be improved.
The sixth principle is to ensure that your networks are secure and that your employees understand the critical nature of data privacy. Good data management practices will be rewarded by your customers with the trust they place in your organization through the services they purchase. The seventh principle is to use data management software that works with both internal and external data assets and helps shape your best governance plan. This software should be able to detect any intolerable flaws in your data set, demonstrating that the required data management practices do not exist. Finally, the eighth principle is to provide education on data management among your team members.
You can perfectly design data models, data systems, and data quality frameworks, but still fail to achieve your data objectives without proper education.
