Nick Barber of Computer World reports, “With several big data initiatives announced Wednesday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Governor Deval Patrick said he wants to make the state a hub for big data research. The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT announced a new program called bigdata@CSAIL, which will make more sense of vast amounts of data generated by the financial, medical, social media and security industries.”

Barber goes on, “Intel announced that it will establish the new Intel Science and Technology Center (ISTC) for Big Data at CSAIL… MIT beat 55 other universities that applied to house the new ISTC and will include faculty research collaborators from the University of California at Santa Barbara, Portland State University, Brown University, the University of Washington and Stanford University. The ISTC at MIT will receive US$2.5 million a year for up to five years.”

Read more here.

photo credit: MIT

Rutrell Yasin of Government Computer News reports, “Several industry thought leaders will head a Big Data Commission of 22 experts and academics who will provide guidance to government and business on how the large troves of data being collected today can drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness, according to the TechAmerica Foundation. Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive at IBM, and Steve Lucas, global executive vice president and general manager for database and technology at SAP, will chair the commission. Serving as vice chairs are Teresa Carlson, vice president of Global Public Sector for Amazon Web Services, and Bill Perlowitz, chief technology officer of Wyle’s Science, Technology and Engineering Group.”

Jennifer Kerber, president of the TechAmerica Foundation stated, “The problem today is not gathering data but rather making intelligent, actionable decisions based on the volume, velocity and variety of data we are receiving… I am excited about launching this commission and hope that we can leverage the best and brightest industry, academic and government minds to determine how to use big data to drive innovation, efficiencies and effectiveness in the public sector.”

Read more here.

photo credit: TechAmerica Foundation

Jakki Geiger of Informatica recently shared five ways that Informatica customers are using Master Data Management (MDM) to integrate social media data into their businesses. Here’s method number one: “ Ensuring that the Jane Doe on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn is the same Jane Doe in the CRM system. Thirteen percent of poll respondents are planning or already using MDM to integrate customers’ corporate profiles in CRM with their social profiles from social networks. Twenty nine percent are thinking about it, but haven’t solidified their plans. What’s interesting to me is 50% hadn’t considered using MDM for integrating social media data, but think it’s a great idea.”

The second method: “Only including Jane Doe’s specific comments, reviews, ratings about their companies, products or services and excluding all irrelevant activity. This helps our customers focus on the information that adds value and is actionable. Some of our customers are also including Jane Doe’s activity on competitive products and services.” Third: “Adding friends and family from Jane Doe’s social network into her CRM profile, providing access to the people Jane Doe influences and those who influence her. This is highly beneficial for Marketing since studies such as Friends Versus the Crowd: Tradeoffs and Dynamics show that friends’ recommendations are typically more influential than ratings from the general public.”

Read more here.

photo credit: Informatica

Opera Solutions is looking for a Senior Data Architect in Jersey City, NJ. Responsibilities of the position include the following: “Be the owner of the data domain and components for leading distributed analysis systems. Define the data vision and architecture for a range of products. Be an expert in data management and familiar with Data Modeling, Master Data Management, Hadoop, Relational and NoSQL data architectures. Work closely with Business Analysts, Consultants and Developers to capture the business domain and recommend data management strategies. (You will be more than comfortable discussing Object Relational Mapping strategies with developers as well as third party vendors). Have a strong background in ETL, Business Intelligence and Reporting Strategies using the latest technologies in these areas.”

Qualifications include: “Minimum of BS in Computer Science, Engineering or related discipline. Proven track record as a Data Architect ,10+ years of continuous database experience in engineering and/or solution architecture, and implementation of data solutions for large-scale systems. Deep understanding of Oracle Enterprise, MS SQL Server 2005 and 2008, MySQL and Postgres. Experience in at least one ETL tool, either open source or commercial. Strong Unix/Linux scripting skills including Python, Perl or Ruby. Demonstrate a passion for NoSQL and the willingness to explore alternative solutions. Solid experience designing for operational requirements in big data systems. Familiarity with database design and documentation tools such as ErWin and Visio.”

Learn more and apply here.

photo credit: Opera Solutions

Hobsons is looking for a Data Governance Specialist in Cincinnati, OH. According to the post, “The Data Governance Specialist will be part of our internal IT Services Department and a strategic member of the Enterprise Information Management Initiative. This candidate will be responsible for the decisions made about the organization’s data and lead the effort in process improvement involved in data governance, quality, accuracy, consistency, and currency. The selected candidate has strong leadership experience in change management, an excellent attention to detail, strong analytical skills, a passion for data and data accuracy, and is results-oriented.”

Qualifications for the position include the following: “A minimum of 3 years professional experience. Demonstrated leadership experience in data governance and data management. Knowledge of information management framework similar to Mike 2.0. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with an ability to communicate effectively. Quickly understands and articulates business issues and data challenges related to data management and propose creative solutions. Ability to organize data for meaningful analysis, Excel or equivalent skills strongly preferred. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; presentation skills required. Excellent customer service skills. Relational database knowledge required. Report writing experience a plus.”

Learn more and apply here.

photo credit: Hobsons

In the old world shepherds used to roam the countryside with their flocks of sheep, happy in the idyllic simplicity of nature; their only worries were predators, inclement weather, and disease. As large estates became the norm, fences were built and the shepherds became more like stewards who watched over not just flocks, but other possessions as well.

According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, the word steward originates from the Old English terms stiward or stigweard which means “house guardian,” or “hall/pen + weard (guard).” Following the Norman Conquests of England in the 11^th Century C.E. the term became synonymous with the Old French term seneschal or “overseer of workmen.” As history progressed ever onward, the term took on the meaning “one who manages affairs of an estate on behalf of his employer.” In the digital world of the 21^st Century, such old world truths still exist in the form of Data Stewards, who devotedly watch over their own flocks, with some particular contemporary variations:

• Purdue University: “A Data Steward must participate with IT Data Administration staff, application development teams, and knowledgeable departmental staff on projects creating, maintaining, and using University data.”
• CDI-MDM: “Person responsible for managing the data in a corporation in terms of integrated, consistent definitions, structures, calculations, derivations, and so on.”
• Experian-QAS: “Data steward refers to the lead role in a data governance project. Data stewards take ownership of the data and work with the business to define the programme’s objectives.”
• The Data Administration Newsletter: “It is the Data Stewards’ responsibility to approve business naming standards, develop consistent data definitions, determine data aliases, develop standard calculations and derivations, document the business rules of the corporation, monitor the quality of the data in the data warehouse, define security requirements, and so forth.”

The DAMA Guide to Data Management Body of Knowledge (DM-BOK) breaks down data stewardship jobs into many positions including Business Data Steward, Coordinating Data Steward, Executive Data Steward and Data Stewardship Facilitator.

Any enterprise who takes its data seriously will have similar roles and definitions for one of the most important jobs in the Data Management industry today. Data is no longer just the worry of IT Departments; data is business, and without data modern businesses are not competitive. C-level executives and their lower level business compatriots worldwide are proclaiming throughout boardrooms, across virtual meeting spaces, during business lunches and across a multitude of other communication channels that “someone must own our data!” It all equates to the bottom line; without quality data the bottom line suffers.

Data Stewards “own” data, or to be more precise, Data Stewards are responsible for the data owned by the enterprise. If the enterprise is the old world Lord’s Estate, then the Data Stewardship Team consists of the people who watch over the lifeblood of the estate, including the shepherds who make sure the data is flowing smoothly from field to field, safe from internal and external predators, safe from inclement weather, and safe from disease.

What does it take to be a Data Steward?

Do you love data? Does the idea of working with data like a painter works with oils, one drop at a time, for months or years, until the work is done (though a Data Steward’s work is never done) sound appealing? Does defining, capturing and maintaining Metadata excite you? Does terminology like data validation, tolerance limits, data mining, data profiling and process standardization fill your dreams with visions of vast digital landscapes that you control? Do you like a nice paycheck and good benefits? A career in Data Stewardship may be right for you, but getting there takes a long list of skills and training:

1. Programming Expertise: Data Stewards love data, but to get into the inner workings of data you must understand the programming involved. A comprehensive knowledge of at least some of the primary languages used is necessary, including Python, Perl, PHP, C/C++, Java and others.
2. Relational Database Proficiency: Even with the growth of non-relational systems (see below), a Data Steward must know how to manage the relational databases still used within many enterprises. Simple knowledge of SQL is not enough though, proven experience working with various SQL-based systems including (but not limited to) Oracle RDBMS, Informix, Sybase, IBM DB2, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL and others will add weight to your skillset and resume. You should have the ability to discuss during a technical interview some of the particularities of queries, DML, DDL, transaction controls, data types, DCL and procedural extensions if necessary.
3. Data Modeling: A general understanding of Data Modeling with some experience is a plus. Data Stewards are not Data Modelers, but they interact with them often in meetings and when working on Data Governance and Master Data Management initiatives throughout the enterprise. A comprehension of such features as ORM diagrams, modeling applications like ERwin, and the differences between conceptual, logical and physical schema is helpful.
4. Data Warehouse Concepts: It is necessary to understand and have experience with OLAP (and its variations), data integrity, ETL platforms, ODS, OLTP, schema and bottom-up versus top-down designs among others. Real world Data Warehousing experience is highly preferred.
5. Understanding of Non-Relational Systems: The Big Data onslaught on enterprises has changed the landscape of Data Management forever, so everyone is the field is working to get better skill sets in dealing with Big Data and Unstructured Data. A solid background in the various NoSQL systems has become a prime requirement for many Data Management jobs, including Data Steward. A clear understanding of MapReduce, BigTable implementations, Memcache, sharding, distributed computing techniques, and the differences in the multitude of products on the market today including Hadoop/HBase, Cassandra, Redis, MongoDB, Riak et al. is crucial.
6. Technical Writing: There is a belief that high levels of logical thought (a necessity for any Data Management job) somehow presupposes and inability to express oneself clearly (and creatively) with the written word. Luckily, such a belief is only a stereotype and thus not always true. Hone your skills as a writer, which includes the clear expression of ideas, good grammar, the ability to invoke interest in the reader, and your path to landing a good Data Steward position will increase. Data Stewards must be able to write; it’s an essential part of their skill package. They are frequently the intermediaries between the IT and Business Departments, and the ability to express yourself clearly so that both sides of the enterprise understand the message will increase your usefulness by magnitudes.
7. Formal Education/Certification: Look at any Data Steward jobs available today and they all state that a B.S. in Information Technology, Computer Science, MIS, Mathematics or related field is a must. Most of the top jobs prefer a Master’s Degree, though 3-5 years of relevant experience can supersede the M.S in many cases. Added to the college degree is a list of possible certifications that include Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), Certified Data Steward (CDS), Data Governance & Stewardship Professional (DGSP) and Certified Information Management Professional (CIMP).
8. Business Acumen: If necessary, take some Business courses during your college education years. If those years are already past, then take some continuing education courses. Learn about the business world; understand it, thrive in its concepts. Data Stewards are the SMEs of the business in terms of data; Data Stewards understand the data in an enterprise often better than anyone else; Data Stewardship is not an IT function it is a business function. The primary responsibility of a Data Steward is to make sure that the data of the enterprise is business worthy. To be an effective and efficient Data Steward you must understand the inner workings of the business, they are inseparable skills.

Data Stewards have not been a part of human history as long as shepherds or traditional Old English stewards, but history is on their side. Where shepherds bring about romantic ancient visions of simpler lives, Data Stewards are the guardians of the digital new world.

Data is not going to disappear; it’s an integral part of the landscape of the modern world and Data Stewards are needed to make sure the digital landscapes remain unobstructed so the data flows effortlessly ever onwards into the future.

TIME: 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific

PRICE: Free to all attendees.

This Month’s Topic Focus:

Wish List: What Features Would You Like to See in a Data Modeling Tool?

This Webinar is Sponsored by:

About the Presentation

We invite you to join us in this monthly DATAVERSITY webinar series, “Big Challenges with Data Modeling” hosted by Karen Lopez. Join Karen and two or more expert panelists each month to discuss their experiences in breaking through these specific data modeling challenges. Hear from experts in the field on how and where they came across these challenges and what resolution they found. Join them in the end for the Q&A portion to ask your own questions on the challenge topic of the month.

This Month’s Panelists

• To Be Determined
• TBD
• TBD

About the Moderator

Karen Lopez is Sr. Project Manager and Architect at InfoAdvisors.. She has 20+ years of experience in project and data management on large, multi-project programs. Karen specializes in the practical application of data management principles. She is a frequent speaker, blogger and panelist on data quality, data governance, logical and physical modeling, data compliance, development methodologies and social issues in computing.  Karen is an active user on social media and has been named one of the top 3 technology influencers by IBM Canada and one of the top 17 women in information management by Information Management Magazine.  She is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP, specializing in data modeling and database design.  She’s an advisor to the DAMA, International Board and a member of the Advisory Board of Zachman, International.

She’s known for her slightly irreverent yet constructive opinions and rants on information technology topics.  She wants you to love your data. Karen is also moderator of the InfoAdvisors Discussion Groups at www.infoadvisors.com and dm-discuss.

Karen also blogs for DATAVERSITY. Check out her blogs here: http://www.dataversity.net/category/discussion/blogs/karen-lopez/

Timothy Prickett Morgan of The Guardian has written an article regarding how small to medium sized businesses can take advantage of relatively inexpensive Big Data tools. He writes, “It may take a while but eventually any good technology embraced by large enterprises trickles its way down to small and mid-sized businesses in some appropriately modified and re-priced form. It will be no different for modern business analytics tools. The time could be ripe for mid-range customers to start thinking about either modernising their data warehouses or data marts if they are lucky enough to have any, or come up with a plan to install a business analytics platforms if they don’t.”

He continues, “Today’s tools are not only much more sophisticated but are affordably priced for mid-market customers. The level of performance they offer gives these smaller companies what they need to compete in the global marketplace. Everybody is talking about big data these days, but the term is really a misnomer. Fast data is probably a better term. Companies of all sizes are wrestling with making sense of diverse structured, semi-structured and unstructured data sets to help them make quick decisions. Dell, which does not usually get into markets if it doesn’t think it can make a good profit, particularly from the small and medium businesses that it still peddles a lot of its gear to, is cooking up the Quickstart Data Warehouse Appliance. It is based on Dell’s new PowerEdge 12G servers and Microsoft’s SQL Server 2012.”

Read more here.

Linda Tucci of Search CIO recently discussed several Big Data challenges that tend to get overlooked. She writes, “Hype aside, exploiting big data and analytics will matter hugely to companies’ future performance, remaking whole industries and spawning new ones. The list of challenges is long, however. They range from the well-documented paucity of data scientists available to crunch that big data, to more intractable but less-mentioned problems rooted in human nature. One of the latter is humans’ tendency to hoard data. Another is their tendency to hold on to preconceived beliefs even when the data screams otherwise. That was the consensus of a panel of data experts speaking on big data and analytics at the recent MIT Sloan CIO Symposium in Cambridge, Mass. Another landmine? False hope. There is no final truth in big data and analytics, as the enterprises that do big data well already know. Iteration is all, the panel agreed.”

Tucci goes on, “Moreover, except for the value of iteration, CIOs can forget about best practices. Emerging so-called next practices are about the best companies can lean on as they dive into big data, said computer scientist Michael Chui, San Francisco-based senior fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute, the research arm of New York-based McKinsey & Co. Inc. ‘The one thing we know that doesn’t work: Wait five years until the perfect data warehouse is ready,’ said Chui, who’s an author of last year’s massive McKinsey report on the value of big data.”

Read more here.

Herman Mehling of EnterpriseAppsToday reports, “If you’ve had your doubts about the benefits of business analytics (business intelligence, product management and predictive analytics), a recent study from Nucleus Research might go a long way toward dispelling them. The research, titled The Stages of an Analytic Enterprise, shows enterprises attain an average ROI of 188 percent in the initial automation phase and an average of 1,209 percent in the later predictive phase. Nucleus Research based its findings upon 58 case studies of companies in diverse industries leveraging analytics tools used over five years, said Hyoun Park, principal analyst at Nucleus Research.”

Mehling continues, “Park said the research covered the gamut of small, midsize and large deployments of analytics software, and included companies using products from business intelligence giants like IBM, Oracle and SAS, as well as companies using products from second-tier vendors and startups. ‘The more companies broaden and deepen their use of analytics, such as BI, PM and predictive analytics, the greater ROI they see — that’s the main take-away from our research,’ he said.”

Read more here.