Applying a Metadata Framework to Improve Data Quality

Abstract

The importance of a company-wide framework for managing data resources has been recognized (Gunter, 2001; Lee, 2003, 2004; Madnick, Wang & Xian, 2003, 2004; Sawhney, 2001; Shankaranarayan, Ziad & Wang, 2003). It is considered a major component of information resources management (Guimaraes, 1988). Many organizations are discovering that imperfect data in information systems negatively affect their business operations and can be extremely costly (Brown, 2001; Keizer, 2004). The expanded data life cycle model proposed here enables us to identify links between cycle phases and data quality engineering dimensions. Expanding the data life cycle model and the dimensions of data quality will enable organizations to more effectively implement the inter- as well as intra-system use of their data resources, as well as better coordinate the development and application of their data quality engineering methods.