Data Quality and Financial Services

We’re in the midst of a mortgage crisis. Call it a natural extension of capitalism, where greed can inspire unregulated “innovation”. That greed is now coming home to roost.

So where do we go from here? Read more>>

The Data Intelligence Gap: Part Two

In part one, I wrote about the evolution of a corporation and how rapid growth leads to a data intelligence gap. It makes sense that a combination of people, process and technology combine to close the gap, but just what kind of technology can be used to help you cross the divide and connect the needs of business with the data available in the corporation?Of course, the technology needed depends on the company’s needs and how mature they are about managing their data. Many technologies exist to help close the gap, improve information quality and meet the business needs of the organization. Let’s look at them:
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The Data Intelligence Gap: Part One

There is a huge chasm in many corporations today, one that hurts companies by keeping them from revenue, more profit, and better operating efficiency. The gap, of course, lies in corporate information.
On one side of the gap lies corporate data, which may contain anything from unintelligible garbage to very valuable data. However, it is often very challenging to identify the difference. On the other side of the chasm are business users, ever needing stronger corporate intelligence, longing for ways to stimulate corporate growth and improve efficiency. On this side of the chasm, they know what information is needed to make crucial decisions, but are unsure if the data exists to produce accurate information.
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Data Governance and Chicken Parmesan

With the tough economy and shrinking 401K’s, some of my co-workers at Trillium are starting to cut back a bit in personal spending. They talk about how expensive everything is and speak with regret if they don’t bring a lunch instead of buying one at the Trillium cafeteria. Until now, I’ve kept quiet about this topic and waited politely until the conversation turned to say, fantasy football. But between you and me, I don’t agree that there is a huge cost savings with making your own.
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Top Analyst Reports on Data Governance

If you’re thinking of implementing a data governance strategy at your company, here are some key analyst reports I believe are a must-read.

Data Governance: What Works And What Doesn't by Rob Karel, Forrester
A high-level overview of data governance strategies. It’s a great report to hand to a c-level executive in your company who may need some nudging.

Data Governance Strategies
by Philip Russom and TDWI
A comprehensive overview of data governance, including extensive research and case studies. This one is hot off the presses from TDWI. Sponsored by many of the top information quality vendors.

The Forrester Wave™: Information Quality Software by J. Paul Kirby, Forrester
This report covers the strengths and weaknesses of top information quality software vendors. Many of the vendors covered here have been gobbled up by other companies, but the report is still worth a read. $$

Best Practices for Data Stewardship
Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools
by Ted Friedman, Gartner
I have included two of Ted’s reports listed on the must-read list, but Ted offers much insight. He has written and spoken often on the topic. $$

The case for a data quality platform
Philip Howard, Bloor Research
Andy Hayler and Philip Howard are prolific writers on information quality at Bloor Research. They bring an international flair to the subject that you won’t find in the rest.

US Presidents and Data Governance

I was curious about the presidential candidates and their plans to build national ID cards and a database of citizens, so I set out to do some research on the candidates stance on this issue. It strikes me as a particularly difficult task, given the size of the database that would be needed and the complexity. Just how realistic would the data governance strategy for the candidates be?

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Mergers and Acquisitions: Data's Influence on Company Value

Caveat Emptor! Many large companies have a growth strategy that includes mergers and acquisitions, but many are missing a key negotiating strategy during the buying process.

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