The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Essnet project on Micro Data Linking and Data Warehousing Final Workshop Amsterdam 25-26 September 2013 The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Viviana De Giorgi (Istat) This presentation is a summary of the deliverable 1.5: “Recommendations and guidelines on the governance of metadata management in the S-DWH” by: (Viviana De Giorgi, Jos Dressen, Maia Ennok, Michel Lindelauf)

Governance of metadata management: Governance and metadata management Essnet DWH OUTLINE The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH The context Metadata management: roles, people, procedures, practices Governance of metadata management: Governance and metadata management Functionalities, principles and experiences of governance of metadata management Final remarks Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Governance of metadata management (1) Essnet DWH Governance of metadata management (1) Governance of metadata management “the way that the governing body builds standards and requirements for metadata management in alignment within the vision of the statistical institute and ensuring high quality for metadata and statistics” The model for governance of metadata management strictly depends on how organisation works, its arrangements, its vision and culture, its business rules and levels of autonomy with respect to other governing bodies. An effective governance is very important to guarantee the good administration of metadata management The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Governance and metadata management (2) Essnet DWH The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH GOVERNANCE strategies, policies, processes, procedures and rules for metadata management in line with the vision/mission of the statistical institute: guarantee high quality level of data, metadata and statistics METADATA MANAGEMENT day-to-day operations of the metadata system within the context established by the governance Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

S-DWH metadata Context and resources used GOVERNANCE Essnet DWH Context and resources used The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH   GOVERNANCE policies and standards WHY/WHAT Governance Committee and decision structure WHO S-DWH metadata operating guidelines and procedures HOW/WHAT data stewards and gate keepers WHO METADATA MANAGEMENT   Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Metadata management: roles Essnet DWH Metadata management: roles The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Main metadata functions: a “guide” tool for statistical production and “information” for users (as integral part of all statistical productions). The metadata must be: correct and reliable (must give a correct picture of the meaning of the statistical data) consistent and coherent (must be compatible with each other) standardised and coordinated (the data of different statistics are described and documented in the same standardised way) Core principals for metadata management: metadata handling, metadata authority, metadata relationship to statistical business processes (Unece, Metis project) Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Metadata management: people Essnet DWH Metadata management: people The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH metadata experts information technology specialists methodologists subject-matter statisticians are “users/managers/producers” of statistical metadata Their needs must be correctly identified to facilitate the efficient functioning and further development of the whole S-DWH. Corporate commitment and systematic management of activities related to design, implementation, use, maintenance, and evaluation of the S-DWH are crucial Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Metadata management: procedures & practices Essnet DWH Metadata management: procedures & practices The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH managing metadata: important step in metadata strategy to make sure that the metadata are complete, current and correct at any given time the corporate vision should specify the framework for a corporate metadata management strategy the top management of the organisation must be directly involved in the statistical metadata system and its management Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

It regards all levels and types of metadata management. Essnet DWH Governance: roles The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Governance of metadata management defines the way to govern, monitor and measure different aspects of metadata management: non-tangible resources. Governance is: horizontal to the entire metadata management from the process perspective and in time (from input to output) vertical to the hierarchical levels of the organisation (from top to bottom). It regards all levels and types of metadata management. Governance = people + procedures + practices metadata management improves, develops, and maintains results the right management at the right time in the right way Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Essnet DWH Governance: people The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH An active permanent structure (governance committee or board or department) for governing metadata management contributes heavily to metadata management success (it is not an option) permanent members, from across all the production departments involved in the S-DWH (not only from metadata management/statistical metadata background) non-permanent, temporary or even invited representatives, e.g. from external bodies and other committees or specialists from departments involved, so that they can examine/assess the feasibility of new actions a coordinator of the committee a secretariat for practical staff work (meetings, contacts, documentations, emails, etc.) Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Governance: procedures & practices (1) Essnet DWH Governance: procedures & practices (1) The governance of metadata management is responsible (and establishes the way) for identifying and recruiting further resources/experts consulting metadata management specialists on taking crucial decisions developing procedures for monitoring statistical, methodological and technical aspects and their quality (recommended) and performs audits on them (optional) developing the vision, formulating policy, approving development plans fulfilling the on-going obligation of management results maintenance over the time The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Governance: procedures & practices (2) The governance committee Essnet DWH Governance: procedures & practices (2) The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH overseeing the activities of evaluation and promotion of metadata management processes, in special way for new processes The governance committee meets up together periodically or when it is necessary draws up a periodical report indicating the decisions taken, and discloses them to metadata management Its activities must represent the expression of all members of the committee. Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Experiences in governance of metadata management Essnet DWH Experiences in governance of metadata management The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Lessons learned (suggestion) from the METIS project for good corporate governance of metadata management based on experiences of statistical organisations:  senior managers and the Chief Statisticians are closely involved in developing the vision, formulating the policy, approving the statistical metadata system development plans and evaluating the progresses clear roles and accountability of all organisational units with respect to metadata endorsing a metadata strategy, and integrating it into broader corporate plans and strategies metadata management is strategic for the organisation, but there is often scepticism in the organisation against it Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

policies and standards Essnet DWH The context: WHY/WHAT? The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Policies: methods of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions with a high-level of performances and quality Standards: set up and established by governance policies and standards WHY/WHAT S-DWH metadata Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

S-DWH metadata The context: people – WHO? (1) Essnet DWH The context: people – WHO? (1) The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH Governance Commitee: group of people who represents the authority for governing and supervising the activities of metadata management policies and standards WHY/WHAT Governance Committee and decision structure WHO  S-DWH metadata Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

S-DWH metadata The context: people - WHO (2) Essnet DWH The context: people - WHO (2) The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH policies and standards WHY/WHAT Governance Committee and decision structure WHO  S-DWH metadata Data stewards: responsible for maintaining data elements in metadata registries Gate keepers: responsible for identifying, counting, supervising, etc., the data flows They may share responsibilities data stewards and gatekeepers WHO Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

S-DWH metadata The context: HOW/WHAT? Essnet DWH The context: HOW/WHAT? The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH policies and standards WHY/WHAT Governance Committee and decision structure WHO   S-DWH metadata operating guidelines and procedures HOW/WHAT Operating guidelines and procedure: rules and instructions data stewards and gate keepers WHO Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

S-DWH metadata The context: governance and metadata management Essnet DWH   GOVERNANCE The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH strategies, policies, processes, procedures and rules for metadata management in line with the vision/mission of the statistical institute: guarantee high quality level of data, metadata and statistics policies and standards WHY/WHAT Governance Committee and decision structure WHO S-DWH metadata operating guidelines and procedures HOW/WHAT day-to-day operations of the metadata system within the context established by the governance data stewards and gate keepers WHO METADATA MANAGEMENT   Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Functionalities and principles for good governance of metadata management (OECD (2004). Principles of Corporate Governance) Essnet DWH responsibility The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH cooperation (to establish standards) legitimacy direction (use of resources) managing conflicts and risks (solving and guaranteeing) accountability Governance of metadata management monitoring performances and efficiency transparency probity efficiency communication with management evaluation as a part of governing Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

To ensure (meta) data and statistics quality: Essnet DWH Final remarks(1) The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH To ensure (meta) data and statistics quality: governance should be ever centralised strongly recommended the direct involvement of the top management of the organisation in the statistical metadata system and its management (can be hard to achieve) (or) at least the senior management should play a leading role setting up a metadata management strategy, the NSI must consider its needs, by first evaluating objectives, strategies and organisational arrangements Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Essnet DWH Final remarks (2) The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH clear and well defined boundary between governance and management, to separate responsibilities between those who govern and those who manage metadata reliable governance of metadata management for reliable metadata management consider the experience generated by statistical organisations that have already implement a metadata strategy approved, documented and well-known changes in policies, processes, procedures, and rules for the statistical metadata system are recommended Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013

Thank you for your attention! viviana.degiorgi@istat.it mjj.lindelauf@cbs.nl

OECD (2004). Principles of Corporate Governance. Paris Essnet DWH References The governance of metadata management in the S-DWH European Parliament (2009). Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 OECD (2004). Principles of Corporate Governance. Paris UNECE (2009). Statistical Metadata in a Corporate Context: a guide for managers. Part A. Common Metadata Framework. Geneva Amsterdam, 25-26 September 2013