Unified Data Catalog for Enterprise Metadata Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data management systems for businesses, especially Global Systemically Important Banks, face challenges in ensuring data quality, compliance, and transparency due to ad hoc and non-consolidated data management practices, leading to operational risks and regulatory issues.

Innovation Solution

A unified data catalog system utilizing platform and vendor-agnostic APIs to collect and align metadata, data use cases, and governance policies across various data platforms, creating a comprehensive data model that ensures data quality, simplifies data flows, and provides regulatory-friendly reporting capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If ad hoc and non-consolidated data management practices are used, then data collection flexibility is improved, but data quality and compliance reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection flexibilityVSAvoiddata quality and compliance reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple ad hoc data management systems into a unified data catalog that centralizes metadata storage, data quality rules, and compliance policies. This merging maintains the flexibility of individual data sources while ensuring consistent quality standards and regulatory compliance across the entire enterprise through centralized governance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified data catalog serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a centralized metadata repository, a data quality monitoring system, a compliance verification platform, and a data lineage tracker. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate ad hoc systems while maintaining adaptability across different data management needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If multiple different nonconsolidated spreadsheets and email systems are used for data management, then ease of operation is improved, but data accuracy and completeness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoiddata accuracy and completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The unified data catalog acts as an intermediary layer between various data sources and end users. It provides a standardized interface for data access while maintaining the simplicity of operation through unified queries and reports, simultaneously ensuring data accuracy through centralized validation rules and quality checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If data is managed manually by multiple different teams, then adaptability to specific team needs is improved, but data transparency and coordination deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to team needsVSAvoiddata transparency and coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a new dimensional layer of transparency by implementing comprehensive data lineage tracking and metadata documentation. This allows each team to maintain their operational adaptability while simultaneously providing executive-level visibility into data flows, quality metrics, and compliance status across all teams through a unified dashboard.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Reliability

If stricter and more robust data management practices are imposed, then data security and compliance are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata security and complianceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The unified data catalog implements data quality rules, security policies, and compliance checks in advance during data ingestion and registration. This preliminary action ensures that security and compliance requirements are met before data enters the system, reducing the need for complex ongoing monitoring and manual interventions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240249227A1Unified data catalog

Publication Date: 2024.07.25 WELLS FARGO BANK NA

AI summary

A computing system is configured to generate a data model comprising data sources, data use cases, and data governance policies retrieved from one or more data platforms via one or more platform and vendor agnostic APIs, wherein the data sources, data use cases, data governance policies, and APIs are aligned to one or more data domains. The computing system is further configured to create, based identifying information from the one or more data sources, a data linkage between a data source, a data use case, a data governance policy, and a data domain. The computing system is further configured to determine, based on the data governance policy and quality criteria, the level of quality of the data source. The computing system is further configured to generate, based on the level of quality of the data source, a report indicating the status of the data domain and data use case.