Metadata supports data governance, regulatory compliance, and data management demands by providing critical details about data assets such as what it is, when it was created, how it has been altered, and who has access. Metadata is also vital for understanding and effectively deploying data resources to support enterprise departments, and their processes. Additionally, metadata enables advanced analytics by providing the required information. Therefore, metadata management is a foundational component of a successful data strategy and one of its most tangible outputs is a metadata glossary.
A metadata glossary lists the location and the essential information on how to use an organization’s data. However, organizations must systematize and interpret metadata from various perspectives before they begin building a metadata glossary, which is, in essence, a dynamic data knowledge base. Furthermore, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of where data lives and how it is deployed, organizations must gather and arrange metadata from the physical, logical and conceptual perspectives or lenses.
By viewing data through these three lenses, a metadata framework begins to form. Hence, the next step would be to ensure that there is a data governance model that empowers the business to organize a metadata glossary. Additionally, it should make it readily available to all users. To make it happen, organizations need to invest in a data governance strategy. Furthermore, the data governance strategy should promote open communication among data owners, data stewards and data consumers to foster a community approach to data meaning and comprehension. A community approach to data meaning and comprehension builds a shared understanding of data assets. Additionally, it reduces the confusion that business users may face when searching the metadata glossary for the first time.
By systemizing and interpreting metadata from various perspectives and having the right data governance strategy, organizations can successfully, create a comprehensive metadata glossary. This metadata glossary will empower all users across the business to do more with data.
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