Data

 

Blog Post 3

 

3.1 Managing Data

 

Data provides information that allows for decision making. High quality data provides information that is accurate, consistent, accessible and concise. Although data is helpful and can be effective, with the amount of data that is increasing, and how it comes from many sources, and is scattered throughout various organisations allows for some difficulties when managing data. Because data is done and organised by humans, it is subject to human error. This could include inconsistencies causing conflicting data, individuals using different methods and devices and data can be easily jeopardised.

 

Data Governance

A method for overseeing information throughout an organisation is called data governance and a particular type or strategy for data governance is the Master Data Management. The process allows companies to store, maintain, and exchange data, which saves time and money for many companies. The “Master Data” is a set of main data that expands over a complete enterprise information system.

 

 

3.2 Data Base Approach

 

Over the years filing data has changed over many years. Currently businesses are taking the Data management approach which began in the 1970’s, which allows us to minimise data redundancy, data isolation and data inconsistencies. On the other hand it also maximised data security, data integrity and data independence.

 

There is a specific type of software for creating, storing, organising, and accessing data from data bases and that is through a data base management system, or for short DBMS. A data model is a diagram that illustrates the entities within the database and their interconnections.

 

Entity Relationship Modelling

An entity is basically a person, place or thing in which information is maintained. They can be placed in certain groups also know as ‘entity classes’ and the representation of a particular entity is called an ‘entity instance’.  An attribute is a particular type or characteristic of an entity, it will have a primary key or identifier that sets it apart from other entities.

 

3.3 Database Management Systems

 

As briefly stated previously, a DBMS is a set of programs equips users with tools to edit and analyse data stored in a location. A relational database is the most popular database as it is widely used by employees across the globe. So then how do you request information from a database? That is through something called a ‘Structured Query Language’ which allows users to do complicated searches using simple words or key phrases. The data dictionary also helps employees as it provides the format necessary to enter the data into the data base, allowing for an effective data management.

 

 

3.4 Data Warehouses and Data Marts

 

Data warehouse is a structured collection of historical data that is then categorised by subject so that it may aid decision makers within the organisation or business. A data mart is an economical and simplified version of a data warehouse, but it is designed to meet more specific requirements of end-users within a stragteic business unit (SBU) or the department.  

Gray, H., Issa, T., Pye, G., Troshani, I., Rainer, R. K., Prince, B., & Hugh, J. W. (2015). Management

information systems. Wiley.