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S1: How to Implement and Govern an Enterprise Data Catalog and Business Glossary

Thursday, December 12, 2024
08:30 AM - 04:00 PM
All Levels

NOTE: This Seminar continues to Friday.

Metadata is foundational to all data work and should be a top priority of a data governance program. Without an understanding of what data means, where it comes from, or how it’s classified, it’s virtually impossible to extract data’s full value. Data catalogs provide an innovative solution for powering data intelligence and metadata management with governance at the core. 

But, investing in a catalog tool is only the first step. Optimized value can only be fulfilled when it's embedded into "business-as-usual" processes of how users work on a daily basis, creating a sustainable need and trust in the catalog as opposed to just knowing it is one of many tools available.

In this two-day seminar, instructors Becky Lyons and Stephanie Paradis provide an in-depth exploration of the critical key elements that organizations need to implement data catalogs and business glossaries. The seminar is intended for business and IT professionals at all levels who have been tasked with investigating or implementing a data catalog or business glossary on behalf of their organization. It does assume general business knowledge but not specific technical knowledge or experience. It is appropriate for executives, departmental and/or project managers, data and enterprise architects, consultants, and technical staff. The course is not designed for any specific business domain and, as such, is applicable to any business function that is in need of more reliable information, such as finance, manufacturing, human resources, analytics, operations, and more.

Course Outline

Learn how to bridge the gap between tool implementation and adoption with best practice tips and vetted approaches for:

  • Establishing the catalog as the foundation of agile and collaborative data governance efforts
  • Focusing on the value case(s) to align tool capabilities with key business objectives
  • Leveraging the catalog and glossary to improve trust and transparency in data
  • Engaging the right people at the right time and making training meaningful and accessible
  • Creating, curating, and managing quality content to ensure accuracy and relevance are maintained over time
  • Establishing a foundational structure to enable data governance through operating models, processes, communities, workflows, etc.
  • Resolving data definition conflicts and recognizing the differences between a data catalog vs. a business glossary
  • Measuring the impact and progress of your adoption
  • Aligning adoption with change management strategies to manage resistance and deliver continuous business value 


Becky Lyons

Becky Lyons

Principal Consultant
First San Francisco Partners

Becky Lyons, PhD, is a Principal Consultant at First San Francisco Partners. Her work focuses primarily on navigating the organizational and cultural issues around enterprise data management. She leads teams of all sizes to implement and manage systematic and sustainable data management strategies that create value through data. With an eye toward organizational improvement, she engages and empowers leaders to reach better decisions faster with trusted data. Her work is informed by a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Institutional Analysis from North Dakota State University, her thought leadership in Organizational Change Management, and a passion for helping individuals succeed. Becky is a thought leader in the area of data governance and organizational change management, regularly speaking at conferences and writing for industry publications and the FSFP blog.

Stephanie Paradis

Stephanie Paradis

Senior Data Governance Consultant
First San Francisco Partners

Stephanie is a senior consultant specializing in building and maturing data governance programs through the effective unification of business and technology through data. She brings hands-on experience from previous marketing and data stewardship roles, in addition to CDMP certification.

Stephanie is an accomplished data governance leader highly adept at helping clients transition between strategic vision and tactical execution. Her experience spans across the various sub-disciplines of data governance and data management with a focus on how to activate right-sized, culturally relevant data enablement programs. With the uptick in focus on AI governance, Stephanie is actively responding to the required paradigm shifts in traditional governance and management frameworks and approaches.