A clear, actionable approach to employing an enterprise-wide smart data strategy

"Smart data" is the combination of interoperable characteristics in a system of data exchange that is agreed upon by the user community. It enhances and optimizes enterprise performance, enables more timely and responsive decision-making, and lowers IT costs. Smart Data provides a practical framework for this essential strategy, equipping the reader with the necessary tools to maximize the wealth of information in their corporate databases. James George and James Rodger persuasively address the problem of "data whose life cycle often outlasts the information technology (IT) paradigm under which it was created," paving the way for IT to once again propel an organization's advancement. The authors:

• Make smart data strategy explicit and understandable, closing the knowledge gap between enterprise executives and enabling technologists
• Identify the elements essential to optimizing performance, explain how to overcome the barriers, and present visionary ideas to aid in implementation
• Provide a detailed plan that includes roles, responsibilities, and accountability
• Employ two types of case studies-scientific/academic and anecdotal/programs-to support and illustrate the authors' idea
• Engineer high-impact results through collaboration between executives, operations management, and technologist
• Help government enterprise executives to improve their ability to achieve faster result
• Show commercial enterprise participants how to maximize their demonstrated value to government enterprise as members of the supply chain of prime contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers

Government executives, such as CIOs and managers of major information systems, will find tremendous value in Smart Data, as will their counterparts in the commercial sector. CEOs, CTOs, and other senior executives interested in maximizing the value of information in their corporate databases can also benefit from this work. In addition, MBA students as well as project management and IT students will appreciate discovering the unique performance improvement advantages that the adoption of a smart data strategy provides.