Data Governance / Connecticut DOT
CTDOT established a data governance structure with an initial focus on creating a Transportation Enterprise Database (TED). The vision for the TED is to:
“Create an accessible transportation safety and asset data enterprise system where authoritative data sets are managed by data stewards and formatted for consumption and analysis in a manner that allows stakeholders to use tools that are both effective and meet their business needs.”
CTDOT’s Data Governance Structure is made up of:
- An Executive Oversight Committee, chaired by the agency Chief of Staff, with membership consisting of the agency’s bureau chiefs.
- A Data Governance Council, with members representing key agency functions including Policy and Planning, Asset Management, Engineering and Construction, Maintenance, Traffic, Safety Management, Finance and Administration, Public Transportation, and Information Technology. CTDOT uses consultants to facilitate.
- Data owners and stewards.
The initial charge of the Data Governance Council was to “Prioritize safety and asset data governance solutions to provide the foundational tools necessary to expand enterprise data participation across all disciplines within the agency.” The Data Council is responsible for:
- Identifying data being collected and maintained agency wide.
- Documenting data standards and coordinate development of new standards.
- Developing guidance for data dictionaries, user manuals, and training programs.
- Establishing quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) processes.
- Facilitating the integration and interoperability of information between authoritative roadway inventory databases and the Department’s enterprise wide data system.
- Informing the Executive Committee of emerging data priorities and how they best might be addressed.
- Reporting to the Executive Oversight Committee as needed to make recommendations regarding data governance challenges or technology opportunities.
Data Owners:
- Have supervisory, administrative, and technical control over a dataset.
- Are responsible for the oversight of the collection, storage, maintenance, and implementation of business rules / managing its use including rules for how data will be exposed for general public consumption.
- Ensure access to the data asset is authorized and controlled.
Data Stewards are responsible for the management of data assets on a day to day basis in terms of content, update and data extract processes, data migration to TED and for the development of metadata. They ensure that:
- There are documents highlighting the origin and sources of authoritative data and completes each metadata element.
- Data has a collection and a maintenance cycle defined.
- Data quality processes are in place.
- Data is protected against unauthorized access or change.
Read more in the chapter: 7.4.2 Data Governance Practices Supporting TAM