Data Management

Scope and Strategies

K.L. Sender and J.L. Pappas

Information and Technical Services
National Marine Fisheries Service
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Honolulu Laboratory
Data Is the Foundation on Which
We Build Success.

Successful management of data is critical

to our mission to make informed decisions.
 What Is the Goal of Data
Management?

The most important goal of Data

Management is to ensure access and
dissemination of quality data to appropriate
end-users in a timely manner.
Quality Data Is the Result of
Good Data Management
 Why Do We Want to Manage
Data?
To fulfill the agencys mission to conserve
and manage the nations coastal and marine
resources to ensure sustainable economic
opportunities.
What Is Data Management?

Its Not Just Archiving!

 Data Management Includes
Data Resource Development.
Data Management Includes
Data Collection.
Data Management Includes
Data Maintenance.
Data Management Includes
Data Dissemination.
Data Management is
What Are the Costs of Poor Data
Management?
Misinterpretation of the data
Lost data
Inaccessible data
Indefensible data
Wasted time and money
Missed deadlines
Lost user confidence
What Are the Benefits of Good
Data Management?
Optimum data quality
Improved user confidence
Efficient and timely access to data
Improved knowledge and
understanding of the agencys data
holdings
How Is Good Data Management
Achieved?

Through the development and

implementation of well-conceived data
management policy and data administration
guidelines.
 Data Management Policy
Policy for the management and protection
of agency data.
Set of broad, high-level principles forming
a framework in which data management can
operate efficiently and effectively.
 Data Management Policy Serves
To
Ensure availability of stable, reliable and
accessible collections of data in electronic
form to all appropriate parties;
Ensure compliance with all agency-wide
mandates and directives.
Improve direct access to data by the public
and across the agency.
 Data Management Policy
Allows
Good fisheries science.
Good fisheries management
Data users to be confident in their
interpretations of quality data;
The agency to properly defend its data in a
court of law.
Data Management Policy

What might work

 A Draft
Data Management Policy
1. Programs that generate data will adhere to data
management policies and guidelines.
2. Data and metadata will be managed and stored in
a centralized data resource.
3. The data resource will be safeguarded and
protected.
and
 A Draft
Data Management Policy
4. Data will be shared based on agency
policies.
5. Agency data will be cataloged and
documented.
6. Information quality will be actively
managed throughout the life cycle of the
data.
 Who Sets Data Management
Policy and Guidelines?
An information technology/information management
steering committee, composed of one or more
representatives from the key data management role
groups:
Administration
Data generators
Data users
Information technology
Management
 Data Management Steering
Committee
Ensures that data management policies are in line with
those of NMFS, NOAA and DOC.
Directs development, implementation and maintenance of
detailed data policies, standards procedures and guidelines
across the agency.
Reports progress to the director on the performance
achieved against the targets for improvement of data
quality and the value gained from effective data
management.
Data Management Roles and
Responsibilities
 Data Ownership

The agency is the owner of the data.

The organizational unit or group that
commissions the collection of a data set
assigns a data steward to that data set.
 Data Administration
Guidelines
Required for all data management task areas
Data resource development
Data collection
Data maintenance
Data dissemination
 References

Brohan, M., 2001, The Need for a Formal Data Management Policy, DM
Review, v. May. http://www.dmreview.com/.
Data Administration Forum, 1999, Data Management Roles and
Responsibilities Guidelines, Ver. 1.3, Advisory Council for Information
Management, British Columbia.
Fisheries Information Technology for the 21 st Century (FITS21).
Flanagan, T., et al, 1998, A Practical Guide to Achieving Enterprise Data
Quality. http://www.techquide.com.
Imhoff, C., 1998, Ensuring Data Quality Through Data Stewardship, DM
Review, v. Apr. http://www.dmreview.com/.
 References (cont.)
Imhoff, C., 1997, Data Stewardship: Finally a Process for Achieving Data Integrity,
The Data Administration Newsletter. http://www.tdan.com.
Information Resources Management Staff, Information Systems Office, Office of
Finance and Administration, 2000, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Strategic Information Technology Plan, FY 2001 FY 2005.
http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/~irm/index.html.
Intra-governmental Group on Geographic Information, 2000, The Principles of Good
Data Management. http://www.detr.gov.uk/.
Sargent, J., Bistodeau, R. and Seem, D., 2000, NOAA Fisheries Information
Technology (FIT) Architecture White Paper, Systems Development Methodologies.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2000, Data Standards. http://www.fws.gov/stand/.
University of Michigan, 1994, Institutional Data Resource Management Policy.