Data Custodianship Guidelines

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Data Custodianship Guidelines

• for the
• Natural Resource Sector

DAMA 2008 Peter Friesen, GeoBC
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Where did it come from?

• BC Ministry of Forests Data Custodianship, 1989
• BC Environment, Lands and Parks Land
  Information Management Framework, 1991
• Land Information Group, State of Victoria,
  Australia Geospatial Information Custodial
  Guidelines for Victoria, 2001
• BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management,
  Data Custodianship Guidelines, 2005

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What is Custodianship?
Set of Data
Dog (Fido)
Object
Actions
Data Custodian, Data Standards Manager,
Discipline Authority, Data Steward, Data Resource
Manager, Data Usage Contact, Data Product Provider
Me, My Eldest Son, My Youngest Son, My Neighbour
Actors
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The Benefits

• Encourages consistent data management practices
• Maximizes the value of data as an asset
• Provides certainty regarding data accountability
• Minimizes data duplication
• Encourages data sharing and widespread use

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What if we Dont?
The absence of Data Custodianship can lead to the
development of multiple representations of
identical data..

• Which data should we use which is the
  authorized set?
• Who do we talk to concerning use?
• How and when should each version be updated?
• Who is the final decision maker

Inefficiency, higher costs, unclear
accountability, high risk
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Custodianship
The Object
Set of Data
Data Custodian, Data Standards Manager,
Discipline Authority, Data Steward, Data Resource
Manager, Data Usage Contact, Data Product Provider
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Set of Data

• a discrete corporate information subject that
  is of a lasting nature, about which relevant data
  is collected, managed, and used to serve an
  essential defined business purpose for government.

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 4
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Custodianship
The Roles
Set of Data
Data Custodian, Data Standards Manager,
Discipline Authority, Data Steward, Data Resource
Manager, Data Usage Contact, Data Product Provider
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Definition of Roles

• Form Related
• Reach horizontally across the entire organization
  (NR Sector, Ministry)
• Content Related
• Fall vertically within a specific business area

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 5
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Accountability Principles

• Separation of Form and Content

FORM
CONTENT
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Accountability Principles

• Separation of Governance and Operations

GOVERN
OPERATE
FORM
CONTENT
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Roles related to Formhorizontally across the
entire organization

• Government Chief Information Officer
• Chief Resource Information Officer
• Ministry Chief Information Officer
• Data Architect
• Related Roles
• Database Administrator
• Application Architect

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Roles related to Content vertically within a
specific business area

• Data Resource Manager
• Data Usage Contact
• Data User
• Data Product Provider

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Roles related to both Form and Content
Standards Related

• Data Custodian
• Data Standards Manager
• Discipline Authority
• Data Steward

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What does it mean to be a Data Custodian
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The Custodian is the Corporate Trustee

• Act in the interests of all clients
• Act for the betterment of the entire client
  community
• Emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, cooperation
  and sharing

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The Custodian is the Standards Bearer

• Ensures development of standards
• Ensures enforcement of standards
• Accounts for the needs of the client

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The Custodian is the Authoritative Source

• Lessens confusion for clients
• Lessens redundancy
• Facilitates issue resolution

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The Custodian is Accountable

• Accountability cannot be extinguished
• Accountability cannot be transferred

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The Custodian Ensures Availability

• Maximize benefit through sharing
• Ensures availability and accessibility to all
  authorized clients

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There isOne and Only One Custodian

• There can be no exceptions
• Must be one designated official custodian

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What is a Data Manager

• Data Standards Manager
• the person who takes care of the day-to-day
  management of the data standards for the Data
  Custodian.
• Data Resource Manager
• A title for staff responsible for collecting
  and/or managing corporate data to the standards
  set by the Data Custodian.

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 9,10
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What is a Discipline Authority

• A business expert or specialist
• understands the business relevance
• interprets the meaning and appropriate use
• A primary resource for the Data Standards Manager
• not a direct reporting relationship.

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 9
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What is a Data Usage Contact

• A technical database resource or sophisticated
  business user
• understands the business data
• A primary resource for Data Resource Managers and
  Data Users.
• representative for a community of data users.

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 10
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What is a Data Steward

• A Data Steward provides a set of services on
  behalf of the Data Custodian.
• A Data Steward is bound by a Stewardship
  Agreement
• Formal description of the services to be
  fulfilled on behalf of the Data Custodian.

Accountability for the data remains solely with
the Data Custodian
see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 9
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Custodianship
The Data LifeCycle
Set of Data
Data Custodian, Data Standards Manager,
Discipline Authority, Data Steward, Data Resource
Manager, Data Usage Contact, Data Product Provider
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The Standards Cycle

• Plan how the data will be managed, maintained,
  and provided for use.
• Define the contents and scope, its structure, and
  applicable policies, standards, processes.
• Implement the plan and defined standards which
  allows the Content Cycle to be initiated.
• Assess the value and continued relevance of the
  data.
• Leverage existing uses.
• Dispose of the data.

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The Content Cycle

• Acquire the data.
• Maintain the data.
• Use the data

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Putting It All Together

• Rights and Obligations
• Responsibilities of the Roles as they relate to
  the Data Lifecycle with respect to a Set of Data.
• Data Standards Manager rights and obligations are
  a subset of those of the Data Custodian

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Rights Obligationssamples

• Standards Cycle PLAN
• Activity Define Strategic Direction

Data Custodian Obligation to support enterprise
(government-wide) goals. Other GCIO has the
obligation to define government-wide policies and
standards. Data Architect Right to define
ministry information management standards.
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Standards Cycle PLAN
• Activity All User Needs

Data Custodian Obligation to consider (but not
necessarily to incorporate) all stated needs.
Data Resource Manager or Discipline Authority
Right to identify and present business
case. Data User Right to identify and present
business case.
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Standards Cycle DEFINE
• Activity Data Access and Sharing

Data Custodian Obligation to define
authorization, access and sharing rules, policies
and requirements. Data Resource Manager Right
to be consulted. Obligation to follow. Data
User Obligation to follow. Other GCIO has
the right to define government-wide policies and
standards . Data Architect - Obligation to
establish enterprise policies and standards for a
shared data approach to information management
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Standards Cycle IMPLEMENT
• Activity Implementation Activities

Data Custodian Obligation to plan and lead
implementation activities. Data Resource Manager
Right to be informed about proposed changes to
data structures, standards, content or processes.
Data User Right to be informed about proposed
changes to data structures, standards, content or
processes. Data Architect Right to be
informed.
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Content Cycle AQUIRE
• Activity Data Quality Management

Data Custodian Obligation to ensure that data
quality is monitored and managed within defined
quality standards. Data Resource Manager
Obligation to execute. Right to be informed and
consulted on quality issues. Data Architect
Obligation to assist in analysis projects to
resolve quality problems, and lead overall
quality programs for ministry.
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Content Cycle MAINTAIN
• Activity Processes for QA and Integration of
  New Data

Data Custodian Obligation to establish. Data
Resource Manager Obligation to follow, right to
be informed and consulted. Data User Right to
be informed and consulted.
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Rights Obligationssamples

• Content Cycle USE
• Activity Access to Data

Data Custodian Obligation to establish and
publish rules and restrictions governing use,
modification or distribution of data. Right to
revoke use of data by specified users where clear
and continuing infringement or violation of
custodial rights occurs. Data Resource Manager
Obligation to abide by governing policies and
standards. Data User Obligation to abide by
governing policies and standards.
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Data Products

• A data product is a set of data that
• Interprets, modifies or aggregates other sets of
  data
• Incorporates significant parts of the data from
  which it is derived and/or
• Is managed as a set of data.
• Data Products may also be called
• resultants,
• derivative products
• analytical products
• value-added sets of data
• integrated sets of data

see Data Custodianship Guidelines for the
Natural Resource Sector V1.0 pp 25
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Role of the Data Product Provider

• A Data Product does not have a Data Custodian.
• A Data Product has a Data Product Provider
• accountable for the Data Product
• may set standards
• enters into written agreements with Data
  Custodians of source sets of data
• From the perspective of the Data Custodian of a
  source set of data, the Data Product Provider has
  the same rights and obligations as any other Data
  User (unless modified by a written agreement).

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Implementing Data Custodianship

• Signoff by CIOs and senior executive
• it becomes accepted practise
• one step closer to policy
• Presentation to executive
• these are the Data Custodians
• Training of relevant staff
• the Data Standards Managers
• the Data Resource Managers
• the Discipline Authorities
• Development of supporting documentation
• job description inserts
• stewardship templates
• data sharing and exchange guides

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Summary

• Every data holding has one and only one Data
  Custodian
• who is the provider of the authoritative version
  of the data
• and is accountable for its definition,
  collection, management and authorized use

Where the BUCK stops.
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Thank You
http//geobc.gov.bc.ca/