Assessing a Data Administrative Program - High-Performance Web Databases: Design, Development, and Deployment - page 680

these activities are not characterized by high visibility and strong resources
(e.g., funding and people), however, important benefits can be achieved.
When data administrators participate in nontraditional data administra-
tion activities, it is like a captain taking the furthest-reaching tack to reach a
buoy in a boat race. Speed may increase, but this tack is further from the
straight line to the target. The environmental factors are the current, the
wind, and the other boats. These factors prevent a straight course to the tar-
get. Nontraditional data administration activities differ among organizations.
At other times, data administrators perform their core data administra-
tion activities so that they may be on the tighter tack. Speed on this tack is
slower, but it is closer to the straight line to the target. Speed may be
slowed because of lack of adequate staff to provide all the necessary train-
ing or to write all the necessary policies. Progress toward the long-range
data administration goals is likely to be a combination of activities that are
considered to be on both the faster but not as direct tack and the more
direct but slower tack. Data administrators must assess and adjust the vari-
ables over which they have control to reach their targets.
The more experienced data administrators, like the more experienced
sailing crew, see more opportunities and know how to take advantage of
them. The maturity level of the data administration program affects an
assessment in several ways. It influences the reasons for conducting an
assessment, the format of the assessment, and the results of the assessment.
As data administration programs mature, assessments are more likely to
expand the data that is managed, or its level of authority. This is part of insti-
tutionalizing the data administration function. For data administration pro-
grams to mature successfully, the data administration functions must be
institutionalized within the context of the other organization activities.
INSTITUTIONALIZING DATA ADMINISTRATION
Like many disciplines, data administration benefited from separating
itself somewhat from mainstream IS management functions to develop its
own techniques, methods, tools, principles, rules, policies, and goals. A
mature data administration organization, however, must be able to work
with the broader Information Resource Management environment to pro-
duce data administration benefits. Data administration cannot remain iso-
lated any longer. Data administration activities must be well integrated into
the entire information systems planning, development, and maintenance
activities as well as with other non-automated information management
functions (e.g., forms and document management).
Institutionalizing data administration activities throughout the organiza-
tion is similar to the way in which personnel management functions are