Meta data is a critical element in any data warehousing project. Companies that deploy meta data repositories along side their data warehouses are better able to maintain a consistent view and understanding of data definitions and business rules. A meta data repository provides the developers and users a road map to the information contained in an organisation’s data warehouse and operational systems.

This tutorial outlines lessons learned from companies that have deployed meta data repositories. The case studies demonstrate the importance of having a methodology for defining meta data requirements, capturing and integrating meta data, building a meta data repository. It will also describe how to calculate ROI, form a team, and develop a project plan for meta data implementations.

What You Will Learn

• Meta Data fundamentals
• Technical and Business Meta Data
• Future Direction of Meta Data Standards and how they will impact your Company
• Meta Data Repository Team Configuration and Skills Definition
• How to Define a Meta Data Project Plan
• How to Define measurable and attainable Meta Data ROI
• Meta Data Integration Document
• Meta Data Project Scope Document
• Leave the Course with your own Scope document completed

9:00 - 5:00 TUTORIAL 2
Business Rules in 2000
Ron Ross, Principal, Business Rule Solutions

This tutorial outlines the advantages of a business rule approach. The tutorial covers the latest thinking about business rules, explaining what they are and what problems they address. The practical techniques and approaches to applying business rules are explored. How to organise and manage your rules, including different ways in which rules can be categorised, grouped, and related to the business are discussed. Practical suggestions are given to improve your ability to capture and express your business rules.

What You Will Learn

• Applying business rules successfully to your company
• What you can do about an ineffective requirements process
• Business rule methodology: What’s new and what’s not
• Why you need to ‘database’ your rules
• How to make your business processes more intelligent

9:00 - 12:30 TURORIAL 3 (1/2 day)
Knowledge Advantage: Understand Your Data Warehouse Results
Greta Blash, Knowledge Consultant

A critical success factor for a data warehouse is the perception of the quality of the data it contains. The quality of this data is directly related to the source of the data used to populate the data warehouse. The ability to select the most appropriate source of data for use in a data warehouse is critical to ensure quality as well as provide complete knowledge and understanding of the information made available through a data warehouse.

What You Will Learn

• Selecting the appropriate source for the data warehouse data
• Integrating the meta data from the entire data warehouse process
• Providing the DW end-user with meaningful business meta data

1:30 – 5:00 TUTORIAL 4 (1/2 day)
Data Management Support for Enterprise Architecture
Brett Champlin, Architecture Consultant, Allstate Insurance Co

Enterprise Architecture is an information based, information intensive discipline. If this information is important to the business, it must be captured, stored and managed. Like a ‘Customer database’ or a ‘Product database’, an ‘Architecture database’ is critical for a successful Enterprise Architecture program.

This tutorial will describe how to build, manage and leverage a repository for managing Enterprise Architecture components (models, objects, data, relationships). Enterprise Architecture is comprised of Business, Information, Application and Technology Architecture Frameworks. To be successful, EA requires a repository (or knowledgebase) that provides for reuse, integration, and dissemination of the underlying components. This talk will present an example EA repository and a survey of current tools capable of providing these functions.

What You Will Learn

• The Principles of Enterprise Architecture
• The Practice of Enterprise Architecture
• Enterprise Architecture Frameworks
• Example Enterprise Architecture Repository
• Survey of Enterprise Architecture Tools