What s a BA to do with Data? Discover and define standard data elements in business terms Susan Block, Program Manager The Vanguard Group
Discussion Points Discovering Business Data The Data Administration Process Business Terms & Requirements Benefits of using Business Terms Shared Vocabulary vs. Glossary Next Steps to Getting Started > 2
Discovering Business Data Business Data is everywhere you look Glossary System Interfaces Business Entities Business Rules Business Reports & Publications Business Metrics Information Repositories Data Dictionary Unstructured Data Business Processes Data Models > 3
Discovering Business Data When Business Analysts elicit requirements Process is enabled by data Data is understood in context of Process Data Dichotomies Data at rest vs. data in motion Business perspective vs. IT perspective on data Historical vs. Real-time data Operational vs. Reference vs. Analytical data Business Data should not be just an afterthought of Requirements Analysis > 4
Discovering Business Data Discover Business Data in context of its processes Most Business Data discovery is part of software development projects Can also be discovered for Compliance needs Identify the data from the start of the project Scoping of datasets can be coupled with scoping of business capabilities Business Analyst partners with Business SME s & Data Administration roles > 5
What is Business Data Administration? Data Administration is the management of the information that describes Vanguard s Business Data. It is the formalization of the data discovery process, which includes: the discovery, definition, documentation, and publication of the information about business data, recorded in business terminology and the appropriate context. The purpose is to create a shared vocabulary of business data concepts and business terms. Key Benefits of Data Administration Sets the foundation for Data Governance by providing a consistent approach to defining data so it can be managed and governed. Achieves greater efficiency by eliminating data redefinition and rediscovery for each successive project. Provides linkage between business data in business terminology and the physical implementation. Establishes a centralized shared vocabulary that improves communication between the business and IT of where data is stored. > 6
Data Administration Terminology Business Data Set - Grouping of information representing a data concept of importance to a business and used as part of their common terminology Business Term (BTRM) - Data element owned, stewarded, and/or consumed by business units Shared Vocabulary - Reconciliation of a variety of business terms into a common term and definition Business Data Set --- Example --- Instance of a data point The Brokerage Firm Inception Date is April 26 th, 2010. Business Term > 7
Data Administration Process > 8
Data Administration Process Flow Capture data as it is sourced and used Data Discovery Define vocabulary, translate codes, standardize rules Data Assessment Assign classification, align business domain Data Alignment Document target data structure Data Harmonization > 9
Data Alignment & Harmonization Analysis & Mapping Understand data context Determine data consistency and cleanliness Discover related data elements for grouping Facilitate gap analysis Unambiguous naming Transformation Harmonization Enable creation of data in context of enterprise data Enable load to application datastores Maintain audit trail Standardization & Quality Match and reconcile related data elements Remove duplicate, redundant data Utilize industry standards Reengineer data to match single corporate standard Quality process to ensure data integrity > 10
Shared Vocabulary Example Market Data Vendors Business Units Data Models > 11
Business Term Example Security Bloomberg Issue Type Code Security Bloomberg Issue Type Code2 Vanguard Australia Security Asset Type Code Security Issue Type Code Fund Accounting Security Asset Group Code Fixed Income Security Type Code The Security Issue Type Code is a value for specifying the security type of a financial instrument. The coding scheme for this typing is based on the first and second values in the ISO Classification of Financial Instruments (CFI), also referred to as ISO 10962. Blackrock Security Group Code > 12
Business Analysis Body of Knowledge TM Touch Points with Shared Vocabulary Scoping of data context and business terms Identify opportunity Analysis of functional requirements & rules acting upon data Business term discovery & definition > 13 Common vocabulary and standardization for assessment of multiple solutions Publication and approval of requirements and business terms
Integration with Requirements Process Elicit requirements BTRM definition leads to discussion of business usage (data-driven approach) Functional requirements decomposition leads to data association (workflow-driven approach) Analyze requirements Derive requirements from BTRMs (e.g. business rules) CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete) analysis of requirements Document requirements Shared vocabulary promotes consistency and readability of requirements thus improving quality Manage requirements BTRMs and requirements are updated in tandem > 14
BTRMs in Requirements & Business Rules Captures affinity between business data and business rules that act upon the data Value is in the business ability to reference business information beyond the system implementation (i.e. visible to the business outside the application) > 15
Requirements Traceability - Predecessors Business Capability Product Construct Agile Project Construct System Capability Data Set System Function Agile Story Requirement Business Term Business Rule > 16
Requirements Traceability - Successors Business Capability Product Construct Agile Project Construct System Capability Data Set System Function Agile Story Requirement Design Element Business Term Business Rule System Test Case Table/ Column > 17
Business Term Linkage Taxonomy (high level context) Retail Client (Data Set) Business Terminology (specific context) Retail Client Name (BTERM) Targeted Data Retail Client Address (BTERM) Data Point Physical Location Txxxx.FRST_NM Txxxx.MIDL_NM Txxxx.LST_NM Txxxx.ST_ADDR_1_TX Txxxx.ST_ADDR_2_TX Txxxx.ST_ADDR_3_TX Txxxx.ST_ADDR_4_TX Txxxx.STE_CD Txxxx.CNTRY_CD Txxxx.ZIP_CD Linkage between business words and physical implementation is documented > 18
Benefits of Using Business Terms Business Benefits Creates a common vocabulary across business units Enables realization of data stewardship & governance controls Promotes secure sharing of information assets Offers the business greater visibility into information usually known within IT applications Becomes basis for business impact analysis Compliments Business Intelligence & Big Data solutions IT Benefits Provides clear data definition and foundation for data lineage Improves comprehension of requirements Captures defined data scope Provides standardization for solution assessment Enables data reuse and quicker application development Becomes basis for IT impact analysis > 19 Creates a common vocabulary between business & IT
BTRMs and Software Development Software Development Process coordination with: Data Architects Business Units (SME and Information Owners/Stewards) Business Analysts Data Developers Testers BTRMs and their classifications are fully integrated via the tasks: data Discovery context, usage, source, constraint, scope data Definition description, attribution, collection of information to facilitate the translation to technical perspective data Design implementation structure data Deployment database structure available for coding against For any software development approach (D 4 ), including the Agile methodology > 20
Shared Vocabulary vs. Glossary Project Glossary Requirements artifact Can be utilized for stand-alone systems, where the data is not relevant to other business units or applications Covers just enough to support the business and technical needs within the specific aspect of a software development project Does not capture attributes about the data element beyond its name and definition Shared Vocabulary Business client s repository of Business Terms, not IT generalizations Holds reconciled data elements as a reusable version Provides the catalog of what already exists Business Data Discovery may result in new BTRMs or expansion of existing BTRMs with broader business context and usage Single business representation of actual data > 21
Next Steps How to get started? Define business terms and establish control point to prevent duplication and overlap Use consistent business terms in requirements Manage aliases for communicating with various clients Incorporate the D4 (Discover, Define, Design, Deploy) approach to integrate data with requirements Focus on subject areas that are critical to the business enterprise Client Product/Service Corporate Infrastructure (e.g. Employees, Departments, Accounts) Adopt incremental rigor in the process Approvals Change control Versioning / Audit Trail Use simple tools while initiating the process Promote reuse and stewardship as the process matures > 22