13 Professional Development

Professional development, though not one of the ten data management functions, is crucial for development of a data management profession. Chapter 13 discusses the characteristics of a data management professional and the various components of professionalism: professional organization membership, education and training for continuing education, certification program, ethics, and the notable members in the data management profession.

13.1 Characteristics of a Profession

Data management is an emerging legitimate profession in the information technology field. A profession is defined as an occupational calling (vocation) requiring specialized knowledge and skills, or the body of persons engaged in that vocation. Today’s data management professionals feel some sense of calling and commitment about the importance of data as a resource. This calling and commitment makes data management a vocation, not “just a job.” Aspiring data management professionals are needed and most welcome in the field.

Several recent studies show that recognized professions, including medicine, law, the clergy, the military, engineering, architecture, nursing, and accounting, share common features. Some of these common features include:

1. A professional society or guild for the communal support of professionals.
2. The publication of a recognized consensus body of knowledge.
3. A professional degree or emphasis available from an accredited higher education institution using a curriculum validated by the professional society.
4. Registration of fitness to practice via voluntary certification or mandatory licensing.
5. Availability of continuing education and an expectation of continuing skills development for professionals.
6. The existence of a specific code of ethics, often with a formal oath of commitment to this code, and including an obligation to society beyond occupational expectations.
7. Notable members of the profession well known to the public, recognized for their professionalism.

Aspiring data management professionals are encouraged to:

1. Join DAMA International and participate in their local DAMA chapter.
2. Be familiar with the DAMA-DMBOK Guide and the DAMA Dictionary of Data Management.
3. Attend the annual DAMA International Symposium (Now the Enterprise Data World) and / or other professional conferences, workshops, seminars and technical courses each year.,
4. Earn the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) designation.
5. Obtain an undergraduate or graduate degree in computer science or management information systems with an emphasis in data management, and / or support the development of such programs in local colleges and universities.
6. Strive to maintain the highest ethical standards of professional behavior.

13.2 DAMA Membership

DAMA International, the Data Management Association, is the world’s premiere organization for data management professionals worldwide. DAMA International is an international not-for-profit membership organization, with over 7500 members in 40 chapters around the globe. To find a chapter near you, go to the DAMA International website, www.dama.org.

DAMA International seeks to mature the data management profession in several ways, including:

• In partnership with Wilshire Conferences, the DAMA International Symposium (Now the Enterprise Data World) is the largest annual professional data management conference in the world.
• In partnership with IRMUK, the DAMA International Symposium Europe is the largest European professional data management conference.
• In partnership with ICCP, DAMA International offers a professional certification program, recognizing Certified Data Management Professionals (CDMPs). DAMA publishes study guides for these exams.
• The CDMP certification exams, developed by DAMA International members, are also used by The Data Warehouse Institute (TDWI) in their Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) program.
• The DAMA International Education Committee’s award winning Data Management Curriculum Framework offers guidance on how North American colleges and universities can teach data management as part of their IT and MIS curricula.
• In partnership with the IS 2002 Model Curriculum authors, and based on DAMA International’s Model Curriculum Framework, expand the IS 2002 Model Curriculum to include the topics of Data Quality, Data Warehousing, and Meta-data.
• In partnership with the DAMA Chicago chapter, DAMA International publishes the Guidelines to Implementing Data Resource Management.
• DAMA International publishes The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management, a sister publication of the DAMA-DMBOK Guide. The Dictionary is the Glossary for the DAMA-DMBOK Guide. The Dictionary is available separately in CD-ROM format.
• Publication of this DAMA-DMBOK Guide document in CD-ROM format.

13.3 Continuing Education and Training

Professionals in any field participate in continuing education to stay current with best practices and to further develop specialized skills. Some data management training is focused on developing skills with specific technology products. DAMA International and other professional organizations provide education in product-neutral concepts, methods, and techniques.

DAMA International holds annual Symposium conferences in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. There are plans for additional international conferences in the future. In addition, DAMA International Chapters in over 20 countries sponsor speakers who present educational topics at local meetings.

Data management professionals should subscribe to professional magazines and online newsletters, and should be well read on data management and related topics.

13.4 Certification

Professional certification is an indication of knowledge, skills, and experience in a field. DAMA International and the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) have jointly constructed the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) designation. The certification program gives data management professionals the opportunity to show professional growth that can enhance their personal and career goals. DAMA International’s certification effort is coordinated with the model education curriculum and with work being done to define job ladders for the data management field.

DAMA International is a constituent member of the ICCP, a consortium of professional IT associations creating international standards and certification credentials since 1973. The ICCP offers internationally recognized product and vendor neutral certification programs that test stringent industry fundamentals for the computing profession. The ICCP office administers the testing and recertification programs for the CDMP.

13.4.1 How Do You Obtain a CDMP?

The CDMP certification process is as follows:

1. Obtain information and the application (www.dama.org or www.iccp.org).
2. Fill out the application.
3. Arrange to take the exam(s) through DAMA or ICCP. Internet testing is available through the ICCP office.
4. Pass the IS Core exam (required).
5. Pass two specialty exams.
6. At least one of the data specialty exams taken must be from the following list:
   1. Data Management
   2. Data Warehousing
   3. Database Administration
   4. Data and Information Quality
7. Meet the experience and education qualifications.
8. Sign the ICCP code of ethics.

13.4.2 CDMP Examination Criteria

Three ICCP exams must be passed with the scores shown in Table 13.1

Score	Credential Earned
Pass all exams at 50% or higher	CDMP Practitioner Certificate
Pass all exams at 70% or higher	CDMP Mastery Certificate

Table 13.1 ICCP Exam Score Requirements

The CDMP Practitioner certification is awarded to professionals who scored above 50% on all three exams. These individuals can contribute as a team member on assigned tasks, for they have a working knowledge of concepts, skills, and techniques in a particular data specialization.

The CDMP Mastery certification is awarded to professionals who scored 70% or higher on all three exams. These individuals have the ability to lead and mentor a team of professionals, as they have mastered the concepts, skills, and practices of their data specialization.

Exams may be retaken to improve your score and go from the Practitioner to the Mastery certificate level. You may be able to substitute selected vendor certifications for up to one specialty exam.

13.4.3 Additional CDMP Certification Criteria

The criteria shown in Table 13.2 must also be met in order to qualify for the CDMP:

CDMP Criteria	CDMP Practitioner Certificate	CDMP Mastery Certificate
# Years Data management professional Work Experience	2	4+
Substitute Up to 2 Years –Bachelor or Master Degree in an appropriate discipline for Work Experience	2	2
Recertification Required	Yes	Yes
Continuing Professional Education / Activity Required	120 hours every 3-year cycle	120 hours every 3-year cycle
ICCP Code of Ethics	Yes	Yes

Table 13.2 CDMP Certification Criteria

13.4.4 CDMP Qualifying Examinations

CDMP certification candidates must take three qualifying examinations. The IS Core exam must be one of these three exams. The other two exams are chosen by candidates based on their work experience. Table 13.3 shows which Data Management Functions are covered as topics in each specialty exam in the CDMP program.

13.4.5 Accepted Vendor Training Certifications

Any of the following certifications may be substituted for one of the “candidate’s choice” specialty exams required for the CDMP. Other certification programs may be accepted, but need to be evaluated. Check with the ICCP office or the DAMA contacts.

IBM:

• IBM Certified Database Administrator–DB2 Universal Database.
• IBM Certified Advanced Database Administrator–DB2 Universal Database.
• IBM Certified Solutions Expert–DB2 Universal Database.
• IBM Certified Solutions Expert–DB2 Content Manager.

Information Engineering Services Pty Ltd:

• Certified Business Data Modeler.

Insurance Data Management Association (IDMA):

• Certified Insurance Data Manager.

Microsoft:

• Microsoft Certified Database Administrator.

NCR (Teradata):

• Teradata Certified Professional.

	DAMA – DMBOK Data Management Functions
CDMP Program Specialty Exams	Data Governance	Data Architecture Management	Data Development	Data operations management	Data Security Management	Reference and Data Management	Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Management	Document Content Management	Meta-data Management	Data Quality Management
Data Management	X	X	X			X	X		X	X
Database Administration				X	X
Systems Development			X
Data Warehousing							X
Business Intelligence and Analytics							X
Data and Information Quality	X									X
Systems Security					X
Zachman Enterprise Architecture Framework2		X
Business Process Management							X

Table 13.3 CDMP Examination Topics

Oracle:

• Oracle (xx) Certified Professional.
• Oracle(xx) Database Administrator Certified Professional (for Practitioner Level CDMP).
• Oracle(xx) Database Administrator Certified Master (for Mastery Level CDMP).

Project Management Institute:

• Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM).

13.4.6 Preparation for Taking Exams

Preparing to take the ICCP exams can be done in various ways:

• Sponsor ICCP Exam Review courses for your DAMA chapter membership.
• Refer to the exam subject outlines (at level 1 and 2) posted on http://www.iccp.org/iccpnew/outlines.html to become familiar with the subject coverage of each exam.
• Contact the ICCP ([email protected]) for the CDMP Study Guide, which covers all the exams in the CDMP program and has sample exams / questions for self-study. Also, ICCP sells the DAMA International Data Management Exam Study Guide and the Data Warehousing Exam Study Guide.

13.4.7 Taking CDMP Exams

ICCP testing can be done anywhere in the world with an approved ICCP Proctor to verify physical identity and supervise / monitor the examination.

The ICCP exams are offered at the DAMA International Symposiums (Now the Enterprise Data World).

A DAMA chapter can set up exam sessions during their chapter meetings. A volunteer proctor is needed from the chapter. A proctor is an individual authorized by ICCP to oversee the writing of an exam by an ICCP exam taker. This person must meet specific guidelines (http://www.iccp.org/iccpnew/testing.html) and be willing to supervise the person taking the exam. The ICCP reserves the right to reject proposed proctors. Contact [email protected] or phone 847.299.4227 or 800.843.8227 for assistance in determining an appropriate proctor.

Exams may also be taken via the Internet; contact the ICCP as noted above for more information.

The exams run off the USB drive of an individual’s laptop. There are 110 multiple choice questions to answer in 90 minutes. One hundred questions are scored and 10 are beta questions included for future test development. You will not know which type of question you are answering. Questions and possible distracting answers are randomly listed in a different order for each exam taker. Therefore, although this guide contains sample questions that allow for “all or none of the above” type answers meant for study purposes, this type of answer will not be available to choose from on the actual exam.

Computer based testing allows for immediate scoring after the exam is taken. An ICCP Performance Profile is then available for downloading, and one will be sent later to the individual by the ICCP. This Profile shows your exam strengths and weaknesses.

13.4.8 Professional Development / Recertification

To keep your CDMP current, you must earn 120 approved contact hours of continuing education over a 3-year period. Many educational activities count, including DAMA Symposiums and chapter meetings. For further information, contact the ICCP ([email protected]) for an ICCP Recertification Guidelines Booklet or go to

www.iccp.org/iccpnew/Recertification%20Guidelines2005.pdf.

Table 13.4 identifies some example of how to earn these credits.

Activity	ICCP Recertification Credits
Formal educational institutions	1 Quarter Hour = 8 credits 1 Semester Hour = 12 credits 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10
Independent organized programs Professional society meetings, seminars, conferences	Count time of education program content
Teaching, lecturing, presenting Self-study programs Published article, book	For each activity category, credit limited to 60 recertification credits / 3 year period
Sit for other ICCP examinations	Depends on exam score: 70% or higher = 60 credits 60 - 69% = 30 credits 50 - 59% = 20 credits Less than 50 % = 0 credits
As a volunteer, (non-compensated) serve as an Elected Official, Committee / Council Member of a Professional Organization.	You could serve as an elected official, committee or council member for a professional organization, e.g. DAMA, ICCP or another professional organization.  For documentation / auditing purposes, a letter or certificate from the professional organization is required. 20 Credits Allowed Per 3 year Cycle: Serve as an elected officer for a professional organization. Minimum three months of participation: 2 recertification credits per calendar year. (No credits are awarded for service less than three months) Minimum six months of participation: 5 recertification credits per calendar year. Twelve months of participation: 10 recertification credits per calendar year. Serve as a volunteer / appointed committee / council member for a professional organization. Minimum three months of participation: 1 recertification credit per calendar year. (No credits are awarded for service less than three months) Minimum six months of participation: 3 recertification credits per calendar year. Twelve months of participation: 5 recertification credits per calendar year.

Table 13.4 Ways to Earn CDMP Professional Development / Recertification Credits

Recertification credits can be entered online through the Professional Development Transmittal Form, http://www.iccp.org/cgi-bin/pdform.php. Your DAMA International chapter can also keep track of meeting attendance for the purpose of recertification and submit on a timely basis. An annual maintenance fee to ICCP is required for keeping track of your recertification credits. You will receive an annual transcript from the ICCP.

13.5 Professional Ethics

As data management professionals, we inherently accept a personal obligation to the profession and its members, and to all who use data and information. Information consumers expect data to possess certain qualities (completeness, accuracy, validity, etc.). Likewise, our information consumers, data stewards, managers, and colleagues expect professional qualities of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, respect, maturity, courtesy, and cooperation. Through our combined behaviors, we present the professional “face” of data management to others. Data management professionals should strive to maintain the highest ethical and professional conduct.

Data management professionals have traditionally dismissed any responsibility for the ways data is used by business people. Generally, professional responsibility for data has been limited to making data and information ‘fit for use’ for a particular business purpose. But what are those purposes, and are they ethical? Is it possible for business to be continually aware of the potential technical or process breaches of ethics in their planned data use? Business data consumers are not solely responsible for ethical breaches; data management professionals play an advisory role in the ethical use of data. Ethical handling of data includes a legal framework, activities involving dataset handling, and the framing of the questions of analysis without bias. 11

When discussing the ethical handling of data, the handling of personal data (e.g. name, address, religious affiliation, sexual orientation) and privacy (access or restriction to this information) are key topics. Much has been written of the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPPA, Canada Bill 198, and other laws emerging in the 1990’s for our protection; it is available for review for further information.

There are two types of ethics: compelled ethics and imposed ethics. Compelled ethics are those that are part of an internal personal code of responsibility. Imposed ethics are those forced on us by law or regulation. These two ethics frameworks are a way to understanding the approaches to privacy law in Canada and the United States, and are profiled below to show how two countries have developed similar but differing approaches. Refer to local law when developing corporate policy for handling personal data and privacy.

Under United States self regulatory regimes, organizations design and implement their own privacy programs based on the criteria set down by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):

• Notice: Data collectors must disclose their information practices before collecting personal information from consumers.
• Choice: Consumers must be given options with respect to whether and how personal information collected from them may be used for purposes beyond those for which the information was provided.
• Access: Consumers should be able to view and contest the accuracy and completeness of data collected about them.
• Security: Data collectors must take reasonable steps to assure that information collected from consumers is accurate and secure from unauthorized use.
• Enforcement: The use of a reliable mechanism to impose sanctions for noncompliance with these fair information practices.

Canadian privacy law is a hybrid of a comprehensive regime of privacy protection along with industry self regulation. PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) covers all businesses who collect, use, and disseminate personal information in the course of commercial activities. It stipulates rules, with exceptions, that organizations must follow in the collection, use, and dissemination of personal information.

The 10 guidelines below are statutory obligations that all organizations that collect, use and disseminate personal information must follow:

• Accountability: An organization is responsible for personal information under its control and must designate an individual to be accountable for the organization’s compliance with the principle.
• Identifying Purposes: An organization must identify the purposes for which personal information is collected at or before the time the information is collected.
• Consent: An organization must obtain the knowledge and consent of the individual for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, except where inappropriate.
• Limiting Collection, Use, Disclosure, and Retention: The collection of personal information must be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by the organization. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means. Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
• Accuracy: Personal information must be as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
• Safeguards: Personal information must be protected by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
• Openness: An organization must make specific information about its policies and practices relating to the management of their personal information readily available to individuals.
• Individual Access: Upon request, an individual shall be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of his or her personal information, and shall be given access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
• Challenging Compliance: An individual shall be able to address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to the designated individual or individuals accountable for the organization’s compliance.

In Canada, the federal privacy commissioner has the sole responsibility for handling privacy complaints against organizations. However, they fill an ombudsman role wherein decisions are recommendations and not legally binding and decisions have no precedential value, even within their own office.

As data professionals involved in business intelligence (BI), we are actively involved in the following types of analyses:

• Who people are, including terrorist and criminal identification.
• What people do, including profiling.
• When people do it, including timing of data analysis, bias, accuracy.
• Where people do it, including profiling and corralling choices.
• How people are treated, including outcomes of analysis, such as scoring and preference tracking, that will tag them as ultimately privileged or not for future business.

It is right to ask whether these activities are ethical or not, and to explore the implications to the community before proceeding with the work. Often, though the decision to proceed is confirmed, the manner in which to proceed may be changed. The data may be made anonymous, the private information removed from the file, the security on the files tightened or confirmed, and a review of the local and other applicable privacy law reviewed. Figure 13.1 summarizes the evaluation of ethical risks.

Figure 13.1 Ethical Risk Model for Projects

Be aware of the following traps to ethical handling of information.

• Hunch and Search: The analyst has a hunch and wants to satisfy that hunch, but only uses data that satisfies their hunch.
• Data Collection for Pre-defined result: The analyst is pressured to collect data and produce results based on pre-defined desires.
• Biased use of data collected: Data is used to satisfy a chosen approach; data is manipulated for a chosen approach.

In summary, business users may not be aware of “where the data comes from” and ethical issues may not be obvious to them. Automated monitoring is not sufficient protection from unethical activities; the analysts, themselves, need to reflect on possible bias. Cultural norms and ethics in the workplace influence corporate behavior – learn and use the ethical risk model. DAMA International encourages data professionals to take a professional stand, and present the risk situation to business leaders; they just might not have thought about these implications in their work.

13.6 Notable Data Management Professionals

Since its inception in 1988, DAMA International has recognized data management professionals who have made significant, demonstrable contributions to the data management field by honoring them with a DAMA Individual Achievement Award.

13.6.1 Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual for significant contributions to the data management profession over the course of his / her lifetime. The highest honor bestowed by DAMA International.

2002 John Zachman

2006 Michael Brackett

13.6.2 Professional Achievement Award

The Professional Achievement Award was formerly known as the Individual Achievement Award. It recognizes a DAMA International member who has made significant, demonstrable contributions to the data management profession.

1988 John Zachman

1988 Walter Vitale

1991 Jo Meador

1992 Gary Schudt

1993 Belkis Leong-Hong

1995 Ronald Ross

1996 Barbara von Halle

1997 Clive Finkelstein

1998 Larry English

1999 Claudia Imhoff

2000 Peter Chen

2001 Peter Aiken

2001 E.F. “Ted” Codd

2002 Davida Berger

2002 William (Bill) H. Inmon

2003 Graeme Simsion

2004 Len Silverston

2005 Claudia Imhoff

2006 Patricia Cupoli

2007 Robert Seiner

2008 David Marco

2009 Jaylene McCandlish

13.6.3 Government Achievement Award

The Government Achievement Award recognizes a DAMA International member working in the public sector for data management leadership and practice.

2004 Dr. John D. Graham

2005 Judith Newton

2008 Suzanne Acar

2009 Glenn Thomas

13.6.4 Academic Achievement Award

The Academic Achievement Award recognizes a DAMA International member from academia for outstanding research or theoretical contributions in the field of data management.

2003 Dr. Terry Halpin

2004 Dr. Richard Nolan

2005 Dr. Richard Wang

2006 Dr. Gordon Everest

2007 Dr. Herbert Longnecker

2008 Dr. John Talburt

2009 Eva Smith

13.6.5 DAMA Community Award

The DAMA Community Award recognizes a DAMA International member who has gone beyond the call of volunteer service to the DAMA organization and its membership.

2003 Brett Champlin

2004 Larry Dziedzic

2005 Dr. Peter Aiken

2006 Len Silverston

2007 Jack Olson

2008 Michael Scofield

2009 Mark Mosley