In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, Dr. Stephen Covey recommends that each of us develop a personal mission statement.  The discipline of Data Administration / Data Management has long suffered from identity crisis and unclear goals, which a mission statement would clarify.  The following is offered as a Mission Statement for a corporate data administration / data management function.

A. Mission

Data Administration is chartered by this organization to build, implement and manage data assets, thereby enabling our customers to make sound, consistent, information-based decisions.

B. Key Objectives

Data Administration consists of strategies, standards, policies, models, and databases that recognize information as a valuable asset, which serves all company employees.  Key objectives of Data Administration include:

Build a framework for accurately capturing, sharing, distributing, securing and leveraging the company’s data resources, including creating and refining data models and establishing and maintaining an enterprise metadata repository

Strategically plan for the company’s future information requirements

Ensure our customers have access to high quality information when required and promote their self-reliance in its use for effective business decisions

Support effective and efficient business processes in partnership with other teams

Identify ownership and accountability for enterprise information, serving as mentors to business data stewards

Design sharable models of data and recommend access methods for using this data

Ensure that information needs and business rules comply with global policies and standards

Participate in evaluating new technologies to ensure the continuity and advancement of data and technology within the company’s information needs

C. Roles and Responsibilities

Develop, disseminate and administer an Information Strategy for the organization

Construct and maintain enterprise and application data models in concert with our business partners

Participate in the development and efficient delivery of applications with our business partners and fellow Information Systems employees

Implement and administer a data repository as a directory of enterprise metadata

Define, maintain and enforce the use of standardized enterprise data element names, abbreviations, characteristics and domains

Participate in the development, implementation and use of an enterprise data warehouse to address the company’s information, analytical and decision-making needs

In concert with other teams, actively assess and recommend products such as CASE tools, data access tools and new techniques and technologies that advance the sound management of information

Provide guidance, education and assistance to the IS and user communities in support of their data access and usage activities.  Promote data access and management self-sufficiency whenever possible