Find out what a Business Glossary is, why you need one, and what are the main steps to implement it.

1. Business
Glossaries
By George Firican
What,
Why, &
How
the
the
the

2. George Firican
T r e a t d a t a a s a n a s s e t
Profile:
• Director, Data Governance & Business Intelligence at UBC - DAE
• 12+ years Business/Technical Analysis & Project Management in education,
software/web development and e-commerce industries
• 8+ years in Data Governance, Data Quality and Business Intelligence
Speaker:
• Speaker at international conferences, webinars, and podcasts since 2013
• Topics of Data Governance, Data Quality, Data Management, and Big Data
Education:
• Master of Management | BSc in Computer Science
• Business Analysis Certification | Master Data Quality Manager (ISO 8000)
• Data Steward Certification | CIMP in Data Governance
@georgefirican
https://linkedin.com/in/georgefirican
Awards:
• 2018-Quality & Productivity Award for Business Glossary-BRONZE-by CAUBO
• 2017-Circle of Excellence Awards for Business Glossary-GOLD&PLATINUM-by CASE
• 2015-Best Practices Award for Tracing Lost Contact Data program-BRONZE-by CASE
• 2014-Best Practices Award for Data Governance & Quality Program-BRONZE-by CASE
• 2013-Winston Award on Innovation for Data Governance
https://www.lightsondata.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/U
CIssfqi_KLgyZ_YhtETI7Aw

3. LightsOnData.com
T r e a t D a t a a s a n A s s e t
P r a c ti c a l c o n ten t to h el p yo u w i th yo u r d a ta g o ver n a n c e a n d d a ta m a n a g em en t q u es ti o n s a n d c h a l l en g es .
https://www.lightsondata.com https://linkedin.com/in/georgefiricanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCIssfqi_KLgyZ_YhtETI7Aw

4. BUSINESS
GLOSSARIES
A g e n d a f o r t o d a y ’ s w e b i n a r o n :
What is a business glossary?
We need to ensure we are all
on the same page.
The What
The benefits and reasons for
implementing and using one
in your organization
The Why
What are the steps one need
to take in order to implement
one
The How
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

5. BUSINESS
GLOSSARIES
A g e n d a f o r t o d a y ’ s w e b i n a r o n :
What is a business glossary?
We need to ensure we are all
on the same page.
The What
The benefits and reasons for
implementing and using one
in your organization
The Why
What are the steps one need
to take in order to implement
one
The How
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

6. Business Glossary
Definition
A collection of business terms with their unique definitions
and other useful related information.
P R O J E C T D E S C R I P T I O N
What is it?
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

7. Terms we
often
encounter
H e r e a r e s o m e
B u s i n e s s G l o s s a r y
D a t a D i c t i o n a r y
D a t a C a t a l o g
B u s i n e s s D i c t i o n a r y B u s i n e s s S e m a n t i c s
B u s i n e s s M e t a d a t a
B u s i n e s s V o c a b u l a r y
M e t a d a t a R e p o s i t o r y
B u s i n e s s L e x i c o n B u s i n e s s C a t a l o g
B u s i n e s s D a t a
D i c t i o n a r y
B u s i n e s s C o m p e n d i u m
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

8. Terms we
often
encounter
H e r e a r e s o m e
B u s i n e s s G l o s s a r y
D a t a D i c t i o n a r y
D a t a C a t a l o g
B u s i n e s s D i c t i o n a r y
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

9. Business Dictionary & Glossary
M a i n d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

10. BUSINESS
GLOSSARIES
A g e n d a f o r t o d a y ’ s w e b i n a r o n :
What is a business glossary?
We need to ensure we are all
on the same page.
The What
The benefits and reasons for
implementing and using one
in your organization
The Why
What are the steps one need
to take in order to implement
one
The How
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

11. THE WHY
There are a lot of benefits and reasons why an organization should invest in a Business
Glossary. Here are a few of them.
WHY?
Proper usage of business term
definitions
F a c i l i t a t e s U n d e r s t a n d i n g
Consistent communication between
business units and not only
I m p r o v e s C o m m u n i c a t i o n
Expedite training of new
and existing employees
E n h a n c e T r a i n i n g
Owner assignment for specific
terms and business areas
E s t a b l i s h e s O w n e r s h i p
Enables trust and confidence in
information
I n c r e a s e s T r u s t
Enhances productivity and increases the
timeliness of decision-making processes
I m p r o v e s P r o d u c t i v i t y
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

12. BUSINESS
GLOSSARIES
A g e n d a f o r t o d a y ’ s w e b i n a r o n :
What is a business glossary?
We need to ensure we are all
on the same page.
The What
The benefits and reasons for
implementing and using one
in your organization
The Why
What are the steps one need
to take in order to implement
one
The How
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

13. THE HOW
_
So m e o f th e s tep s to i m p l em en t a B u s i n es s G l o s s a r y
STEP ONE
Get buy-in, a
sponsor, and
resources
STEP TWO
Determine and
adopt best
practices
STEP THREE
Identify available
and future
content
STEP FOUR
Evaluate and
deploy a tool

14. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

15. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
B u s i n e s s C a s e
S p o n s o r s h i p
B u d g e t
https://www.dataedo.com

16. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
B u s i n e s s C a s e
Benefits | Main pain points | Stakeholders
https://www.dataedo.com

17. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
B u s i n e s s C a s e
S p o n s o r s h i p
Drivers | Main pain points | Stakeholders
https://www.dataedo.com

18. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
B u s i n e s s C a s e
S p o n s o r s h i p
B u d g e t
Drivers | Main pain points | Stakeholders
B u s i n e s s c a s e
I T P r o j e c t
B u s i n e s s P r o j e c t
https://www.dataedo.com

19. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
A t t r i b u t e s
T e r m n a m e & d e f i n i t i o n
F o u n d a t i o n a l a t t r i b u t e s
S e c o n d a r y a t t r i b u t e s
https://www.dataedo.com

20. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
A t t r i b u t e s
T e r m n a m e & d e f i n i t i o n
F o u n d a t i o n a l a t t r i b u t e s
S e c o n d a r y a t t r i b u t e s
https://www.dataedo.com

21. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
https://www.lightsondata.com
A t t r i b u t e s
N a m i n g & d e f i n i t i o n s g u i d e l i n e s
Drivers | Main pain points | Stakeholders
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.dataedo.com

22. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
https://www.lightsondata.com
A t t r i b u t e s
N a m i n g & d e f i n i t i o n s g u i d e l i n e s
Drivers | Main pain points | Stakeholders
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
F r a m e w o r k / p r o c e s s
Identified
Drafted
Quality
control
ApprovedPublished
Maintained
Retired
Term
Business term workflow
EditorAnyEmployeeReviewerApprover
Candidate term Does term exist?
No
Submits new term
Yes Proposes change
Drafts definition &
metadata
Reviews & revises
definition &
metadata
Are revisions
required?
No Approves changes
Yes
Proposes changes
Publishes term
Communicates
changes
Term completed
https://www.dataedo.com

23. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
https://www.lightsondata.com
A t t r i b u t e s
N a m i n g & d e f i n i t i o n s g u i d e l i n e s
Drivers | Main pain points | Stakeholders
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
F r a m e w o r k / p r o c e s s
Identified
Drafted
Quality
control
ApprovedPublished
Maintained
Retired
Term
Business term workflow
EditorAnyEmployeeReviewerApprover
Candidate term Does term exist?
No
Submits new term
Yes Proposes change
Drafts definition &
metadata
Reviews & revises
definition &
metadata
Are revisions
required?
No Approves changes
Yes
Proposes changes
Publishes term
Communicates
changes
Term completed
https://www.dataedo.com

24. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
C o n t e n t f o c u s
D o c u m e n t s
E m a i l s
R e p o r t s
H u n t & g a t h e r
D a t a m o d e l s
D a t a d i c t i o n a r i e s
Documentation Emails Reports
Data models Data dictionaries
https://www.dataedo.com

25. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
C o n t e n t f o c u s
D o c u m e n t s
E m a i l s
R e p o r t s
H u n t & g a t h e r
D a t a m o d e l s
D a t a d i c t i o n a r i e s
https://www.dataedo.com

26. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
Practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
C o n t e n t f o c u s
D o c u m e n t s
E m a i l s
R e p o r t s
H u n t & g a t h e r
D a t a m o d e l s
D a t a d i c t i o n a r i e s
https://www.dataedo.com

27. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
I n - h o u s e
S p e c i a l i z e d t o o l
https://www.dataedo.com

28. Main Steps to Implement a Business Glossary
Buy-in
Best
practices
Content Tool
https://www.lightsondata.com
C o m m u n i c a t e
https://www.dataedo.com

29. BUSINESS
GLOSSARIES
A g e n d a f o r t o d a y ’ s w e b i n a r o n :
What is a business glossary?
We need to ensure we are all
on the same page.
The What
The benefits and reasons for
implementing and using one
in your organization
The Why
What are the steps one need
to take in order to implement
one
The How
https://www.lightsondata.com https://www.dataedo.com

30. @georgefirican
https://linkedin.com/in/georgefirican
https://lightsondata.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIssfqi_KLgyZ_YhtETI7Aw