Compliance requirements in the 21st century  

When it is a question of high-quality, topical data, it is not ­enough to merge cleanly and one time all of the data ­available throughout the company initially and maintain them in a standard system. Data control plays a role in this context which should not be underappreciated. 

Ideally, a routinely performed and effective data control will be integrated into a company-wide data governance program. “Master data management” (MDM) touches on various topics in the general field of “data governance”. MDM is related to business processes and distributed data in the company. 

Another important aspect in data governance is the maturity of the data. The first maturity models come from the areas of software development (CMMI) and IT governance (COBIT). Maturity models are used to determine the current initial ­status found in the organization of important dimensions such as ­people, corporate policies, and technologies, and to ­improve processes evolutionarily and to develop them into a highly structured status. 

A possible maturity model encompasses the following five ­maturity levels. CMMI describes the level of maturity of a ­specific process area in terms of so-called capability levels. A capability level describes the degree of institutionalization of a specific process area. The capability levels are: 

0 – Incomplete – The work is carried out in such a way that the business goals (known as “specific goals” in CMMI, e.g., a ­project plan in project planning) are not achieved. 

1 – Performed – The work is conducted in such a way that the business goals are achieved. 

2 – Managed – The work is directed.

3 – Defined – The work is carried out with the aid of an adapted standard process and the mode of operation is improved. 

4 – Quantitatively Managed – The work is conducted with the aid of a statistical process control. 

5 – Optimizing – The work and the mode of operation are ­improved with the aid of a statistic process control. 

Completeness, consistency, and auditability of the data are at the center of focus. 

Reporting, or: What the CIO Board always wanted to know