Data management and governance practices /
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Corporate Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Washington, DC : Transportation Research Board,
2017.
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| Series: | Synthesis of highway practice ;
508. |
| Subjects: |
| Abstract: | This synthesis provides information on current practices in data governance, data warehousing and cloud computing, data integration and sharing, and data quality assurance. The objective was to develop a collection of transportation agency data management practices and experiences. The information in this synthesis was gathered through a literature review, a two-phase online survey, and follow-up interviews with four agencies. The report demonstrates how agencies currently access, manage, use, and share data. The study found that a pyramid-shaped data governance structure is commonly used in the literature. This structure consists of (1) an upper-level committee providing oversight and strategic direction, (2) enterprise data stewards providing coordination across business units, and (3) stewards accountable for the quality and use of individual information technology. In most cases, DOTs have data stewards and data coordinators for managing individual data sets and coordinating data management across multiple data sets within a business area. However, most agencies indicated they do not have a data governance council or board and do not have a document that describes their data governance model and serves as a guide. A more top-down data governance approach could help recognize and leverage the value of data generated and/or stored in various agency silos and could spur increased data integration. Interviews with transportation agencies indicated that key motivations and early benefits of implementing data governance include (1) improved accountability to produce high quality and reliable data, (2) ensuring that the data are accessible and integrated using a common linear referencing system, and (3) engaging business areas within transportation agencies in their data, rather than viewing data as strictly an information technology issue. The study found that most DOTs store and manage data collected during the operation and monitoring phases of roadway systems in data warehouses or marts. Data collected at early phases of the asset/project life cycle are more likely to reside in disparate files and databases. The use of cloud computing services for storing and managing data is expected to grow; however, most DOTs and local agencies are uncertain about the magnitude of this growth in their agencies. Transportation agencies are using multiple linear and geographic referencing methods in their data sets, indicating that incompatibility among these methods remains an impediment to increased data integration within these agencies. Most survey respondents indicated data sharing and access has been improved through: (1) increased use of web-based data storage and access, (2) improved database management systems, and (3) reduced use of hardware and software that require specialized data formats. |
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| Item Description: | "A Synthesis of Highway Practice." At head of title: National Cooperative Highway Research Program. "Project 20-05, Topic 47-05" |
| Physical Description: | 1 volume (various pagings) : illustrations ; 28 cm Also available online. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 39-40). |
| ISBN: | 9780309389969 0309389968 |
| ISSN: | 0547-5570 ; |