Metadata Management and Data Governance - Data Governance: Creating Value from Information Assets - page 45

jail.” Well, without governance, it's true; there exists no formalized
process for proving for regulatory compliance with HIPAA (Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 1996) and privacy
laws. Data governance initiatives may be aimed at achieving a num-
ber of objectives including offering better visibility to internal and
external customers and compliance with regulatory laws.
• Harmonizing: Governance provides for standard definitions. This
allows developers, database administrations, end users, and data
stewards to be working on the same page.
• Consistent Analysis: This allows the business to roll up (consolidated)
values with consistent values comparing apples to apples.
• Faster Development: By providing standard definitions and models,
we provide the infrastructure for extreme development. The most
difficult part of the development of a BI (business intelligence) proj-
ect is getting the data. If we do not need to add data elements, we can
develop applications in days or hours.
• Confliction Resolution: Many organizations have evolved into iso-
lated fathoms. We need an authority to resolve disputes across each
of the fiefdoms.
• Asset Management: This is the harvesting and management of assets
to maximum business returns. Asset management ensures prioriti-
zation with an enterprise view and allows reduction in costs through
elimination of duplicate efforts.
• Security: Operational metadata. Who accesses what and when and
how? This will not only allow for regulatory compliance, but for better
data warehouse design. We can map the usage of each data mart.
If one data mart is not being utilized, we can redesign or start an
educational program on how to better utilize it.
• Better Data and Process Quality: By having clearly defined enter-
prise business rules all users will be able to understand. We can
further empower end users through exposing them to the business
rules. This allows for completing jobs at the speed of business.
FIT FOR PURPOSE VERSUS SINGLE VERSION OF THE TRUTH
In a Single Version of the Truth architecture, the Governance Boards
agree upon one true definition of each attribute. Without a governance