Brief overview of the challenges confronting the use of enterprise metadata repositories (fka "data dictionary").

1. Repository Redux:
Lessons NOT Learned
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2. Picture the problem.
• Source: Whitemarsh Information Systems (www.wiscorp.com)
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3. Data Dictionary ~ Metadata Repository
• Formal definition of Repository: “burial vault.”
• Repository payback is in flexibility.
• Programmers will (NOT) update documentation.
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4. Impact Analysis is Forever!
• Bill-of-Materials “parts explosion” thinking in paper
intensive services firms is in short supply, particularly
when the parts are invisible bits of software.
• The numbers of components and relationships are
HUGE!
• Why were Y2K inventories done from scratch?
• What happened to the Y2K inventories?
• Here is enduring Repository value.
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5. Ownership?
• If analysts/programmers have to go through another
group to see “their” systems… big problem.
• Equally useless if kept private by system owner.
• Well populated Repository is Enterprise resource.
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6. HBS Does not Teach Systems
• Peter Drucker: “To treat finance/accounting and
systems as separate academic and professional
disciplines is unacceptable.”
• Few senior managers have extensive systems
experience since they have risen through different
career paths.
• Metadata is NOT easy to grasp… too squishy.
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7. Links
• Whitemarsh Systems (www.wiscorp.com)
• Gavilan Systems (www.gavilanresearch.com)
• ISO 11179 (www.metadata-standards.org/11179)
• UDEF (www.opengroup.org/udef)
• OMG (www.omg.org/spec/SBVR/1.0/)
• “Ambiguous Words” (www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.
html?main=/articles/art0186.html)
• Success story (www.tdan.com/view-articles/6123)
• VisualThesaurus (www.visualthesaurus.com)
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8. Thank you.
David Eddy
deddy@davideddy.com
781-455-0949
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