Exploring The Missing Role Of Data Dictionaries

Sujan, Sujesh; Hjelseth, Eilif; Munir, Mustapha

Abstract

Automation is one of the best ways to realise (achieve) the benefits of digitalization. This requires a flow of information between multiple stakeholders. In this respect, data dictionaries can enable governed and trust-worthy data. The technology for Data Dictionaries are available, but integrated and automated services are missing. Through an exploratory study on circularity with 11 practitioners in Norway, the importance of ma-chine interpretable governed language and the lack of awareness and understanding of data dictionaries first appeared to the authors. This paper provides an overview of data dictionaries and their role in integrating de-centralized data. A holistic view of how to achieve integrated data by connecting concepts such as data dic-tionaries, data templates and data libraries is derived. Three use cases of Data Dictionaries have been abduct-ed from a combination of academic literature review and interviews. A significant research gap in academic literature on use of data dictionaries to exchange and map to enable integration was also found. Findings indi-cate a shift from the principle of a centralised data distribution to a decentralised data distribution.

• Presentation Conference Type: Edited Proceedings
• Start Date: Sep 11, 2024
• End Date: Sep 13, 2024
• Acceptance Date: Jun 3, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 13, 2024
• Publication Date: Sep 13, 2024
• Deposit Date: Sep 7, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 30, 2024