| Data as asset |
| Summary: |
Data is a university asset and must be managed accordingly. |
| Rationale: |
Accurate, timely data assists accurate, timely decision making. |
| Implications: |
- Staff must accept responsibility for their data. Data checking procedures should be adopted. Responsibility for data "trusteeship" must be set at the highest level.
- A forum with comprehensive University-wide representation should decide on process changes suggested by the trustee.
- Significant cultural change.
|
| Data is shared |
| Summary: |
Users must have acceptable, justifiable and protected access to the data needed. |
| Rationale: |
- Quality and efficiency in data access and use.
- "Shared" from a single source not many sources.
|
| Implications: |
- Expanded use of data warehouse.
- To assert common standards and definitions [single source].
- Documentation of data warehouse [data catalogue] so that users know and understand what is available; must be easily maintained by data trustees [not IT].
- Policies and procedures for data security and access.
- Interoperability requirements going forward so that new data fits in, i.e. we can get data out and put data in.
|
| Data is accessible |
| Summary: |
Data is useless unless it is accessible where and when needed. |
| Rationale: |
- Efficiency, effectiveness in processes and decision making.
- Lack of easy access to information creates additional work in discovery and aggregation.
|
| Implications: |
- Common web-enabled BI / Reporting tool.
- Data catalogue [see above].
- Security of activity on the data is required - read / write etc.
- Electronic records management and retention policies, procedures and systems need to be defined and implemented.
|
| Data trustee |
| Summary: |
This is the person responsible for data quality in the central units. |
| Rationale: |
Users of the data must trust that the central data is complete, correct, up to date and suitable for their needs. |
| Implications: |
- Need to understand the data sources and changing requirements of users / customers of the data.
- Captured once and validated as close to source as possible [cut out form-filling / rekeying].
- Trustee must be able to generate confidence in the data
|
| Data security |
| Summary: |
Data must be protected from unauthorised exposure and use. |
| Rationale: |
Legal and reputational imperatives. |
| Implications: |
- Data shared between systems may be subject to differing security arrangements within applications so security needs to be thought about at item level.
- These concerns need to be addressed at the very beginning of a development.
- Data access from outside institution on non University hardware needs to be secure.
|
| Common vocabulary |
| Summary: |
Data defined once and definition is understandable. |
| Rationale: |
Common vocabulary assists communication and assists in data integration / exchange. |
| Implications: |
- Many people need to understand this not just the chosen few. Parochial definitions must be substituted by enterprise definitions.
- Make use of industry [community] standard definitions e.g. HESA, JISC, MIAP, ISO etc.
|
