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NOTE- This template is part of the paid Data
Quality Package- the most comprehensive online data quality management tool-Kit. This page provides a sample view of the usage of this template.
For Buying this template and the entire Data Quality Package, please Click Here This template is tightly coupled with system data Quality Assessment Template. System data quality Assessment template comes out with the details around the data gaps, their root cause and impacts. These solutions could range from fundamental initiatives to gaps specific fixes. The Data Quality Approach and scoping template help you achieve the next steps- Finalize the scope and approach towards the identified data gaps. PLEASE GO TO END OF THE PAGE TO DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE
There can be multiple Data Quality Assessment reports, depending upon the scope of data quality assessments. You will generally not have an enterprise level data quality assessment projects, for medium to large organizations due to sheer effort involved. Typically data quality assessment could be centered on a system or a group of systems (Courier Service Regional Hub management system), or a Data Entity (customer Data, Vendor Data, Invoice data) or a process (Sales compensation calculation and reimbursement process).
While there will be MULTIPLE DQ assessment reports, we strongly recommend to keep a SINGLE data quality approach and scoping Template. This helps in tracking and managing all the data quality gaps. This will help provide a single view on the gaps and plans to address them. The template is designed to achieve this objective. With a single view of all what is happening to manage Data Quality, this is a great feed into the data quality dashboard, IT dashboard, Business Process management dashboard
This template is designed on the basis of the following assumptions:
- A data quality gap can be addressed by one or a combination of initiatives.
- A data quality gap can have a short-term as well as a long term fix. There can be many alternatives to fix a data quality gap.
- A data quality gap can be fixed by different actions taken over a period of time. It may not be a one time fix.
- An initiative can be fixing multiple data quality gaps.
This template essentially has two parts
Data Gaps Scoping and Tracking
This part essentially has four sub-parts
- Rates the impact of the data quality gap in terms of urgency, importance, volume and complexity.
- Provides Alternatives
- Final Decision on what, how and when to fix a data gap. A data gap can be fixed through more than one initiative or change control over a span of time. An initiative can be addressing multiple data gaps (partially or fully)
- Status tracking of the agreed actions
Data Quality Initiatives scoping and Tracking
This sheet essentially is a kind of transpose of the first part. Here, we are listing out the initiatives to address the data quality gaps and track their progress. Sometime an imitative to address data quality may be a part of large initiative. For example moving from a legacy system to next generation platform, may fix many of the data quality issues. As a matter of fact many solutions to the data quality gaps
Who uses it?
This template ideally is an enterprise level reference point on what is happening on all identified data gaps, through different data quality programs. Therefore, it should be owned by the data steward. If the role of data steward is not defined, it can be owned by either a CFO or CIO.
When is it used?
Towards the end of data quality program analyze phase
This template is used during the analyze phase of a data quality program. After you have done Data Quality Assessment exercise, you will have all the details around the data gaps, their severity and the root-cause. The next step is to decide and plan out our actions, so that we can create a formal project proposal.
Business as usual to track the data quality issues
This template is also used for tracking on what is happening to your identified data quality gaps, through different initiatives and change controls. This in a way becomes the central reference point.
Help Guide -Data Quality Gaps Tracking
OVERVIEW
- Data Quality Gap No. and Reference: We expect that the details of each data quality Gap are provided in some reference document, like Data Quality Assessment Report, or Technical Design or testing document.
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Sometimes a data quality gap is identified, but is not given an identifier so that it can be tracked. In that case you can assign a DQ gap reference number from your own side, and also provide the 'location' of the identified DQ gap. For example, you can state DQ gap Reference number IT308, with location of 'Technical Design document for Vendor Payable system, section 6.
- DQ Gap Description: Provide a high level description of the DQ Gap along with the reference to the data entities, systems and process linked to the gap
DQ GAP OWNERSHIP
- DQ Gap Business Owner: Place the name of the business person who owns this Quality Gap. There should be only one name in each field.
- DQ Gap IT Owner: Place the name of the IT person who owns this Quality Gap. There should be only one name in each field.
IMPACT STATEMENT
This field group provides the overall view of the impact of this DQ gap. The impact assessment is displayed in terms of rating of H (High), Medium (M) and Low (L). Typically the documents which identify the DQ gaps and carry the details on them, may not be 'categorizing' the impact of these Gaps.
- Impact- Importance: This states the importance of fixing this gap. The rating is given on the basis of 'how important is it to fix the gap, and what will be the level of impact, if we do not fix it?'
- Impact- Urgency: This states the urgency of fixing this gap. This provides the waiting time, the gap can grant to us. You can ask the following questions to assign the impact in terms of urgency:
'What is the pace of DQ deterioration with time?'
'How much time have we got before it is too late?'
Typically urgency and importance go hand-in hand. However, there may be instances, whereby they do not. For example-You may highly important DQ gap but it is not deteriorating further, and you have a manual work-around to manage it. This means that you may not need to fix it within this month.
- Impact- Volume: This is a derivative of the importance and urgency. This provides an indication of the size of data we will need to fix.
- Impact- Complexity: This states the level of complexity, number of systems, processes, stakeholders and external partners which are impacted by or have to work on fixing this gap.
ALTERNATIVES
There can be million different ways to fix the data quality. You will need to pick-up top 3-4 options that you have.
- Alternative description: A high-level description on what and how you will fix the issue and is it a short-term or permanent fix
- Alternative effort: This provides the effort linked to fix the Data Quality Gap.
SCOPING AND PLANNING DECISION
IT and Business put their head together to identify the combination of initiatives and change controls, which will address these data quality gaps to complete or partial extent. A DQ gap can be addressed through multiple initiatives and vice versa.
- Initiative/CC Name: This gives the name of the initiative, through which you will fix the DQ gap partially or completely.
- Initiative/CC Code: This provides the code of the initiative, which has been assigned through the business and IT project portfolio. Initiative code will be pre-existing and not defined in this template. Most of the organizations have a central tracking of the Initiatives and change control.
- Scope: This field provides the work that will be done by this initiative/CC to address this specific DQ gaps.
- Effort: The effort in value terms (not a categorization of high, medium and low), which is assigned within this Initiative/CC for this specific DQ gap.
STATUS TRACKING
The status tracking is done at initiative/CC levels. The tracking is related to the DQ gap and not the whole initiative itself.
- Status: This provides the status on Red, Green and Amber. Select from a drop down list.
- Planned Start and End date: This is the planned timeline for addressing the DQ gap within that initiative...
- Actual/Expected start and end date: These are the actual dates, by which the DQ gap was or expected to be addressed
OVERALL COMMENTS
This provides the space on overall comments related to any issue or subject for the given data quality gap. It is also the place where you provide the explanation around any delay in the delivery.
Help Guide- Data Quality Initiatives and change control Tracking
All the contents in this sheet will be related to the Data Quality Related aspects of an initiative and not the total initiative itself. Many data quality gaps are addressed through initiatives, which are addressing a bigger purpose. Data Quality gaps in these initiatives are subset of their total scope. For example, you may be fixing the truncation issue in the sales compensation system, while upgrading the system to a new technical version.
There is a separate list for initiatives vs. change controls. The reason is that change controls are typically small ticket items and one would ideally not like to mix a 1 million USD initiative with a 5000 USD change control.
The help explanation for initiative tracking will equally apply on change control tracking.
OVERVIEW
- Initiative Name: Name of the initiative or the sub-initiative, which is addressing the DQ gap. As stated before, this tracking sheet is not to track the initiative, but the work that specific initiative is doing in addressing DQ gaps.
- Initiative Code: This is the unique code assigned to the initiative. Most of the organizations provide a code to the funded projects, so to track the overall project portfolio.
- Initiative Description: This is brief description of overall initiative.
- Initiative Owner: This is the name of the overall initiative owner.
SCOPE AND BENEFIT
- Linked Data Gaps: This provides the list of the linked data gaps. You can provide the name of the gaps along with their DQ gap number.
- Brief Scope: This gives a high level scope of what the initiative will be doing to address the gap.
STATUS TRACKING
- Timeline: This gives the overall timeline of the initiative by when all the DQ gaps assigned to it will be accomplished.
- Planned Start Date: The date at which the overall initiative or sub-initiative is expected to start
- Planned End Date: The date at which the overall initiative or sub-initiative is expected to end.
- Actual/Expected Start and End Dates: These dates will share the actual progress of the initiative.
COMMENTS
This is a space for providing comments on the status and scope
PROJECT REFERENCE
- Project proposal: Mention the path and reference to the project proposal
- Project Plan Reference: Mention the path and reference to the project plan
- Projects Document Reference: Mention the path to the directory carrying all the project documents
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