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Mid-America Regional Council Pilot of the Data Business Plan for State and Local Departments of Transportation: Data Business Plan

Chapter 4. Data Governance Framework

It is recommended that the region establish a data governance framework for mobility data in the region. This includes adopting core data principles; implementing a data governance model; defining roles and responsibilities for managing mobility data; and developing supporting documents, such as a Data Governance Manual, Data Catalog, Business Terms Glossary, and Data Sharing Agreements.

Data Principles

All mobility data related decisionmaking should be guided by the following set of core data principles:1

  • Principle 1—Valuable: Data is an asset. Data is a core business asset that has value and is managed accordingly.
  • Principle 2—Available: Data is open, accessible, transparent, and shared. Access to data is critical to performing duties and functions. Data must be open and usable for diverse applications and open to all.
  • Principle 3—Reliable: Data quality and extent is fit for a variety of applications. Data quality is acceptable and meets the needs for which it is intended.
  • Principle 4—Authorized: Data is secure and compliant with regulations. Data is trustworthy and is safeguarded from unauthorized access, whether malicious, fraudulent, or erroneous.
  • Principle 5—Clear: There is a common vocabulary and data definitions. Data dictionaries are developed and metadata established to maximize consistency and transparency of data across systems.
  • Principle 6—Efficient: Data is not duplicated. Data is collected once and used many times for many purposes.
  • Principle 7—Accountable: Decisions maximize the benefit of data. Timely, relevant, high-quality data are essential to maximize the utility of data for decisionmaking.

Data Governance Model

A data governance model depicts the relationship between mobility data programs, the various individuals/agencies responsible for implementing data governance, and the users/stakeholders for the data programs.

The model diagram in Figure 2 proposes a formal structure for mobility data governance for the Mid‑America Regional Council (MARC). The following components are depicted in the model diagram:

  • Data Coordination Committee (DCC).
  • Department Director's Meeting.
  • Mobility Data Stewards.
  • Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders.

MARC's DCC would serve as the management committee for this Data Business Plan (DBP). The DCC could take the lead in ensuring that MARC's data and data processes are more accessible to external stakeholders. Although this DBP focuses on mobility, the DCC would coordinate data collection, data acquisitions, and cross cutting data management issues (e.g., data quality, standards, metadata, data privacy, and security) for other types of data within MARC and between MARC and other external partners. The DCC could have a Mobility Data Subcommittee that would consist of designated individuals who are responsible for the oversight of mobility data programs to support the business functions of their divisions.

The DCC should be led by two co-chairs and have clear steps forward. It should:

  • Include at least one person from each business area.
  • Identify best practices.
  • "Take the drudgery out of data."
  • Define roles and responsibilities.
  • Meet monthly at first.

The DCC could be supported by MARC's Department Director's Meeting (B), which consists of senior-level managers from member agencies. This group would not necessarily participate at the DCC meetings, but would provide executive-level support for data governance activities, including dedicating resources as needed and establishing memorandums of understanding (MOU) for data sharing with other partner agencies. An example data-sharing agreement is provided in appendix D. The DCC would update the Directors on activities of the DCC, success stories, accountable progress, and requests for approval of initiatives.

Besides the internal work for data coordination, the DCC would ensure appropriate coordination with external stakeholders. Mobility data stewards (C) within MARC and partner agencies would ensure that the mobility data collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to common standards or policies.

Mobility data users and stakeholders (D) would not be involved in data governance activities, but would benefit from improved coordination and data management practices resulting from the governance framework.

Organization chart. Data governance model.

Figure 2. Organization chart. Data governance model.
(Source: Cambridge Systematics, Inc.)

Roles and Responsibilities

The following data governance roles are defined for the region:

  • DCC—The designated individuals from MARC's offices responsible for the oversight of data programs to support the business functions of their offices. This group dictates the policies, procedures, and business practices associated with mobility data programs.
  • DCC Co chairs—Designated individuals who would co-chair the DCC and liaison with the Department Director's Meeting.
  • Department Director's Meeting—Senior-level managers from MARC. This group would provide executive-level support for data governance, including dedicating resources as needed, and establishing memorandums of understanding for data sharing with other partner agencies.
  • Mobility Data Stewards—Individuals within MARC and partner agencies who ensure that the mobility data collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to common standards or policies.
  • Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders—Any persons or agencies that use or interface with, access, benefit from, or are otherwise affected by mobility data.

Table 7 defines the roles and responsibilities for supporting the governance framework. These roles/responsibilities should be vetted with members of the DCC. The roles and responsibilities listed are job functions and not necessarily job titles. In some cases, the duties of a data steward and data custodian may be performed the same individual.

Table 7. Data governance roles and responsibilities.1, 2
Role Description Responsibilities
DCC Association of individuals from MARC offices who collect and provide data and establish business rules and processes for the mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by MARC. These individuals may serve as data stewards or subject matter experts for mobility data within their office.
  1. Develop "rules of engagement" regarding collaboration and coordination for the committee.
  2. Establish policies and procedures for the collection and use of mobility data and information.
  3. Coordinate resources and cost sharing strategies to reduce redundancy in regional data collection, integration, and data systems.
  4. Identify and address gaps and redundancies in regional mobility data collection activities.
  5. Share current activities and best practices in mobility data collection and management.
  6. Facilitate sharing of data with internal stakeholders.
  7. Share procurement plans and RFPs for mobility data.
  8. Review RFPs and provide recommendations based on best practices.
  9. Determine standards and procedures for collection, maintenance, and use of data programs and products.
  10. Provide recommendations to the Department Director's Meeting regarding development of mobility data products to meet business needs.
  11. Recommend technology tools to support mobility data management and sharing
  12. Identify external data stewards.
  13. Reach out to external stakeholders to identify data stewards for mobility data programs within their respective agencies and facilitate collaboration.
Department Director's Meeting Group of senior-level managers from MARC that the DCC reports to.
  1. Provide executive level support for data governance.
  2. Dedicate resources to support data management and governance as needed.
  3. Establish data sharing agreements and memorandums of understanding internally and with other partner agencies.
Mobility Data Stewards Individuals within MARC and partner agencies who are responsible for ensuring mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to common standards or policies.
  1. Identify and manage metadata.
  2. Identify and resolve data quality issues.
  3. Determine business and security needs of data.
  4. Communicate data quality issues to individuals that can influence change, as needed.
  5. Provide input to data analysis.
Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders Association of people comprised of internal and external stakeholders who share a common interest as users of mobility data.
  1. Communicate their agency's business needs supported by mobility data programs.
  2. Provide feedback on data quality and use of mobility data programs.

1National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 666: Target-Setting Methods and Data Management to Support Performance-Based Resource Allocation by Transportation Agencies, Volume II: Guide for Target-Setting and Data Management, 2010. [ Return to Table Note 1 ]
2 Data Governance, Standards, and Knowledge Management, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), 2009, appendix B—Kansas Department of Education Roles and Responsibilities and appendix C—Data Governance Manual. [ Return to Table Note 2 ]

Rules of Engagement

If a DCC has been formally established, the group should develop and approve a Charter to set forth the purpose, goals, membership, roles and responsibilities, meeting schedule, and "rules of engagement" regarding collaboration and coordination for the group. Potential rules of engagement could include the following:

  • Share Requests for Proposals (RFP) for current and upcoming data collection activities, data acquisitions, initiatives, activities, and projects related to mobility data.
  • Share current initiatives, activities, and best practices related to mobility data, including data strategies, policies, standards, metadata, system architecture, procedures, performance metrics, etc.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to integrate mobility data sets to support performance-based planning and asset management activities in the region.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to create links between mobility data sets and connected vehicle data sets in the future to support performance-based planning in the region.
  • Identify opportunities to coordinate resource, reduce data redundancies, and implement cost sharing strategies for the collection, management, and maintenance of mobility data.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to reduce redundancy in the development and maintenance of duplicative data systems and promote efficiency in system maintenance.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to enhance data sharing and access among regional stakeholders, including the need for Web portals for stakeholders to share data and information as needed.
  • Understand and promote the value of mobility data as an asset within individual stakeholder agencies and regionwide.

An example data sharing agreement is provided in appendix D.

Governance Documentation

Once the DCC has formally approved a Charter, the group should also develop and approve the following supporting documents to define policies, standards, and procedures for data governance in the region:

  • Data Governance Manual. The manual serves as a centralized resource that formalizes data governance roles and responsibilities, data standards, policies, and procedures related to mobility data. An example Data Governance Manual is provided in appendix E.
  • Data Catalog. The data catalog documents regional mobility data systems and the offices responsible for maintaining those systems. The catalog identifies the system of record for specific mobility data sources, metadata about the data systems, and contact information for the data stewards and data custodians responsible for updating and maintaining the data. The data inventory in section 3 can be used as a starting point for development of the data catalog.
  • Business Terms Glossary. The business terms glossary defines how standard terminology for mobility data (such as location) is defined and used across the agency. The glossary assists Information Technology (IT) professionals in defining/using the data correctly when developing or enhancing data systems. An example glossary is provided in appendix F.

1 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Data, Data Subcommittee Efforts on Core Data Principles Web site, https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnx0cmJkYXRhc2VjdGlvbnxneDoyZTFmZjA2NWIyNjdjMDM3. [ Return to Note 1 ]

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