Enterprise Architecture Executive Handbook - U.S. Coast Guard

Information Perspective
The Information Perspective describes the data that is important to the business functions. This includes
information about how and where the data is stored, and relationships between data elements. The
National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) Standards and DHS Lexicon provide guidance for this
perspective of CGEA.
Timely access to accurate information is essential to improving the quality and efficiency of enterprise
decision-making. It is less costly to maintain timely, accurate data in a single source and share it, than it is
to maintain multiple, duplicative data sources for applications. The speed of data collection, creation,
transfer, and assimilation supports the organization’s ability to share data efficiently across all lines of
business (The Open Group, 2007).
Products
Type Name Description
Profiles Information Profile This is a depiction of USCG information objects
within the DHS Conceptual Data Model Subject
Areas and Domains.
Data Profile This profile shows the information currently
housed in the Enterprise Data Catalog (EDC).
GIS Profile This is a concept diagram of how Geospatial
Information Systems support USCG missions.
Models Data Models Models that portray data structure, description, and
attributes, and relationships of the data with other
associated data. The EDC is the current USCG tool
for information about enterprise data.
Inventories
Information Inventory * This inventory will show all the information
objects, produced, archived, and/or required for
CGEA activities, reporting, and decision making,
and their relationship to the DHS Conceptual Data
Model’s Subject Areas and Domains.
Data Inventory This inventory itemizes all sources of CGEA data:
formal production databases, legacy systems, and
outsourced and imported data.
GIS Inventory The USCG Geospatial Information Systems
Inventory provides a detailed view of the primary
functions using geospatial resources, the
governance standards, the data exchange
partnerships, data sources, general technology
components and methods, and the main supporting
IT products and services.
* Planned for future development
Information Exchange
Matrix *
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This inventory identifies the information transfers
that are necessary to achieve USCG tasks.
Information Dictionary * This inventory identifies, defines, and provides
additional metadata to describe items listed in the
information inventory.
USCG Policy and Planning
Lexicon
This publication presents the approved list of
terms, their associated definitions, and acronyms.