Overview

Meta data is one of the hottest arenas in information technology today. Corporations have realized the value of meta data and the absolute need for it in order for their businesses to thrive in increasingly competitive markets. Building a managed meta data environment (MME) is no longer an option, but an absolute requirement for corporations. Companies have realized that without a MME their IT departments cannot properly manage their systems and that their systems are not providing true value to the business end user. A MME is the system that manages your company’s systems.

This overview presents the lessons learned from companies that have successfully deployed MMEs. The real-world MME case studies will be used to demonstrate the importance of having a methodology for defining meta data requirements, capturing and integrating meta data, how to calculate return on investment (ROI), form a team, and develop a project plan, market analysis of meta data integration products, methodology for defining an attainable project scope.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the concepts of meta data management

• Learn about a full life-cycle methodology for implementing meta data management

• Overview of a successful meta data management team

• Understand how to define requirements that yield positive Return on Investment (ROI)

• Understand how to manage risk and anticipate the challenges in meta data management

• Identify the challenges of implementing an MME

Seminar Outline

1. Understanding meta data

   • Overview of meta data and its role in information management

   • Analyze the current state of the meta data industry

   • Defining meta data

   1. Technical meta data
   2. Business meta data
2. Challenges in the meta data industry

   • Meta data ROI definition

   • Selling the concept of building a MME to management (ROI)

   • Active vs. passive meta data

   • Top 10 things to avoid to ensure project success

3. Overview of a managed meta data environment (MME)

   • Challenges of implementing a MME

   • Keys to a sound MME architecture

   • Defining meta data requirements

   • Identifying sources of meta data

   • Integrating sources of meta data

   • Accessing the MME

   • Approaches to meta data development

   • Creating the MME team

   • MME team roles

   • Overview of an MME project plan

   • Constructing the MME scope document

   • Overview of a meta data integration strategy

   • Meta data delivery

4. Overview of the meta data market

   • Evaluating meta data tools (integration and access)

   • How to evaluate meta data tools vendors

5. Meta data repository architecture

   • Centralized, decentralized, and distributed overview

6. Understanding the power of meta data

   • Meta data as the key to knowledge management

   • Future direction of meta data

7. Workshop Conclusion

   • Summary, additional exercises, sources for further reading, etc.