Data Governance keeps data organized and consistent and defines who can and cannot access data. Data architectures can help enforce data governance and security standards, enabling the appropriate oversight of the data pipeline to operate as intended.
The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) has been evolving its data and reporting infrastructure to align with business requirements and enhance data accessibility. This ongoing improvement has paved the way for more robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Additionally, USNH is approaching the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project with a comprehensive data solution to mitigate potential risks and ensure success.
In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Enterprise Technology & Services (ET&S) initiated a two-year USNH Data Governance and Architecture project to impact all USNH stakeholders and campuses. These projects are foundational, long-term technical programs (LRTP) for USNH. In FY24, ET&S concentrated on the discovery phase and the competitive bidding process. Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) will focus on implementation.
The two major initiatives under data governance include:
Data Governance Framework
This initiative establishes a robust data governance framework to ensure data quality, privacy, security, and compliance across USNH. It involves refining the roles of data owners, stewards, and custodians and collaborating with stakeholders to develop comprehensive policies, procedures, and guidelines. These efforts are vital for managing data classification, access controls, retention, and disposal and safeguarding USNH data assets.
Data Architecture Project
The data architecture project aligns system-wide objectives and supports efficient reporting and analysis within Workday, the new USNH Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform. This multi-year, long-range technology planning (LRTP) effort encompasses the technical design and deployment of new capabilities equipped with advanced visualization methods to meet business needs. The data architecture project is integral to the successful deployment of Workday, ensuring that data is leveraged to drive decision-making and strategic initiatives.
The FY24 LRTP goals were centered on identifying solutions and supporting change management throughout USNH to ensure successful implementation. For instance, ET&S conducted multiple data visualization demonstrations to familiarize users and key stakeholders with the tools.
The FY25 LRTP goals are to deploy the new data architecture and governance solutions in time to support the Workday go-live date. Additional spending will be required in FY26 and 27, with a smoothing out after that point.
These projects address critical needs and risks and will modernize USNH's data architecture and governance.
