Master & Reference Data
Every organization has datasets that represent key information and relationships. A calendar for breaking down key dates and looking at historical data. A list of subdivisions within a country and their status for a particular relevant attribute. A list of locations and the various regions they belong to. A team roster.
When they’re well-designed and well-governed and unified, everything becomes easier. When they’re not, multiples of these sets exist and diverge over time, leading to inconsistencies in analyses and a lack of trust in data. (“Why does Department X say this, and Department Y say that?”)
The foundational work of enabling well-governed master and reference data pays dividends across the entire data landscape.
I specialize in helping organizations identify, build, and manage these foundational datasets. My work blends strategic planning, cross-functional partnership, technical understanding, and long-term governance.
What I Do
Identify, Prioritize, and Create Key Datasets
I help teams:
- Identify high-impact master and reference data domains
- Map and resolve existing inconsistencies and redundancies
- Prioritize what to develop, consolidate, or retire
- Clarify ownership and accountability
- Define domains, attributes, relationships, and hierarchy
I can work within or alongside any existing taxonomy and ontology teams (usually an excellent source of reference data), semantic modeling groups, metadata management platforms, and information architecture practices
I partner closely with engineering to:
- Design and support ingestion pipelines
- Ensure data quality rules and monitoring
- Create refresh and maintenance schedules
- Plan long-term reliability and scaling
Education, Evangelism, and Organizational Adoption
Even the best datasets fail without adoption.
I support the human side of data management by:
- Creating clear documentation and reference guides
- Leading enterprise-wide education sessions
- Onboarding new data consumers
- Communicating changes, updates, and best practices
- Developing and enabling governance frameworks that ensure this data remains trustworthy over time
My goal is to build shared understanding and confidence in the data.
Anne Guzzi 