Although a data catalog and implementing data cataloging is an investment with real costs, the values and benefits have the potential to outweigh any output.
Download the full report.
That’s according to a new report from Unifi Software that offers a fresh perspective on data cataloging.
The white paper explains that the biggest benefit of a data catalog is often described as such: It provides “the ability for analysts to find the data they need quickly and efficiently.”
Data cataloging serves to speed up analysis by cutting down on the time and effort that analysts need to spend not only finding, but also preparing data.
According to the new Unifi Software report, published by the Eckerson Group, it is said that 80 percent of self-service analysis without a data catalog is spent getting the data ready for analysis.
Data cataloging has the ability to cut that number down to 20 percent. The new report explores a business case that goes into detail on some of these benefits, and helps readers to estimate a return on investment. Initial investment for adding data cataloging processes to your business includes cost of software, investments in hiring staff and populating the catalog with metadata.
A difficult but important question: How is ROI for a data catalog determined?
The use case in the report illustrates the revenue creating and cost saving potential of data catalogs, as well as the benefits of time savings, quality improvement, risk avoidance and more. The data analysis example provided involves an online sales line-of-business for a midsize retailer.
To gain better insight and visibility into the sweet spot where price and sales volume combine to drive the most revenue, the use case for the online retailer compares three approaches:
- An IT Project
- Self-Service without a Data Catalog
- Self-Service with a Data Catalog
Results are outlined in a comparison that explores time and cost, business impact, direct financial impact, additional savings, value from governance and workplace and cultural value of the scenarios.
It takes a look at the value of data cataloging through the lens of Unifi Software solutions. According to the report’s findings, with Unifi Software, the cost of analysis is less than 20 percent of self-service analysis without Unifi, and approximately 4 percent IT project cost. Time needed to complete analysis was also significantly lower.
The report contends that the business value of data cataloging and data preparation technology can best be explored through use cases and tangible data. After researching, businesses may find that the quantifiable benefits go beyond just revenue realization and costs savings.
Download the new white paper, “The Data Catalog Business Case,” from Unifi Software that quantifies the value of a data catalog to help estimate return on investment for data cataloging.
