Core Person Data Operational Governance Group

Approved by Data Governance Council: November 2021

Purpose

This charter defines the shared direction, guiding principles, membership and roles and responsibilities for operational data governance within the Core Person data domain.

Authority

Operational data governance is authorized to operate in the capacity defined within this charter by the UW-Madison Data Governance Council.

Mission

Given the shared nature of core person data across various UW-Madison business entities, operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain is a shared activity. Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain seeks to promote the quality and integrity of core person data across UW-Madison business systems by establishing standards, guidelines and escalation processes for ethical collection and use of core person data. Operational data governance will provide guidance on data models, definitions and appropriate use considerations to other data domains and to data consumers in order to improve data literacy and awareness around core person data.

About

Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain was recommended by the Core Person Working Group, which was formed at the request of the Data Governance Council in 2021. Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain recognizes that core person data is shared across many UW-Madison business systems, so requires a cooperative approach among key stakeholders.

Goals, Objectives and Guiding Principles

Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain exists in the larger context of UW-Madison’s data governance program, and shares the same goals:

• Establishing a data quality culture that encourages data-driven decision-making
• Facilitating collaboration, awareness, and understanding related to data governance, use of data, and data-related policies, procedures, and standards
• Creating structured accountability with defined roles and responsibilities
• Improving the usefulness and understandability of data through standardization of documentation and definitions
• Pursuing strategies to balance data availability with privacy, compliance, and security

Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain likewise echoes the principles adopted by the Data Governance Council and stated in their charter.

Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain establishes the following initial objectives:

• Establish guidelines for effectively managing core person data
  • Data access and approval
  • Collection, maintenance and reconciliation between business areas
  • Core person data definition, classification and modeling
  • Usage documentation, including regulatory considerations
  • Dispute resolution
• Align data approval processes for core person data with existing and emergent data approval processes
• Establish baseline metrics for core person data in order to support continuous improvement
• Align processes for working across business units and data domains for shared data elements
• Define operational patterns for approval and expected day-to-day business

Structure and Membership

Executive Sponsors

Operational data governance for the Core Person Data domain is sponsored by the Data Governance Council. The Data Governance Council will provide guidance on priority and will act as a conduit to the larger campus data governance landscape.

Chairperson

The chairperson will be responsible for recruiting and maintaining a representative membership, calling meetings, recording and communicating decisions, reporting to the sponsors, and ensuring an inclusive discussion. The chairperson will serve a two year term and will be elected by the group.

Initial Membership

Below is the initial membership for the operational data governance group

Additional standing members may be added with the approval of the Data Governance Council. School / College representation will be for a two year term and will be approved by the group.

Advisors

Operational data governance may involve subject matter experts as needed for specific work areas such as data modeling, security, compliance, etc.

Responsibilities

Meetings

A regular meeting schedule and standing agenda will be developed by group consensus. Standing meeting agendas will include such things as data request or approval, data concerns or disputes, work list prioritization or collaboration needed with other data governance activities.

Voting

Operational governance will strive to establish approved patterns for data integration and use. Establishing new patterns for approval will require a quorum of the group. Use of existing patterns by data consumers should not require a quorum.

Subcommittees

Operational data governance may require the formation of ad-hoc working groups to address specific issues. These working groups will be focused on a specific topic and are anticipated to be short-lived.

Appendix 1 – Initial List of Core Person Data Elements