Abstract:  
 Data is a critical business asset which drives decisions on where to invest, when to divest and how to operate more efficiently. The business wants to focus on using data and expects IT to manage data. However, IT often focuses on the technology to capture, store data and even to visualize data but the ownship of the lifecycle of data is often ill defined.
     The importance of data should be a business priority.  Managing data in silos (structured data, documents, transactions, models) increases the resistance to efficient data flow.  As many different people are involved in new workflows, a solution design for one specific discipline becomes a barrier for others.  In some applications, the need to see the bigger picture becomes more important than reaching specific answers.
     Data silos continue to survive waves of new technology development. The data explosion and the availability of powerful desktop tools create hundreds more data silos for the organization to manage. There is not a simple answer or technology to fix the current situation but there are practical recommendations to help us get back on the road to “’trusted data, easily found.”
     The approach starts through a better understanding of business process and how information flow leads to decisions. Other practical steps include: data governance, common reference and master data, data quality management, and looking at the data lifecycle by managing data from its capture/creation, storage, access, use, archive and disposal. 
 

Biography:
Jim Crompton holds the position of Manager of Upstream Architecture in the Chevron Global Upstream IT organization.  He earned a BS in Geophysical Eng., MS in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines and an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University.  In 1993, as IT Manager for the Gulf of Mexico Business Unit, Crompton led one of the first desktop PC standardization projects in Chevron.  In 1997, Jim was names the Principal Technical Advisor for IT, where he was responsible assessment of emerging technology and strategic planning for the IT function.  He served as chair of the API general committee for electronic commerce ( PIDX) and was able to influence the direction of the standards setting activities towards emerging technologies, such as XML, and new electronic business models in the industry.  Jim participated in the IT merger integration study team in 2001 as part of the Chevron & Texaco merger which developed the IT organization structure and IT strategic direction for the corporation, where he received a President's Award for this activity. In 2002, Jim was selected to be a Chevron Fellow. Jim also works on Chevron’s i-field program in the area of emerging solutions.

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SPE is proud to announce the 2007 recipients of the President's Award for Section Excellence.  Trent Green accepts the award for the Denver Section from Jaleel Al-Khalifa, center, the 2007 SPE President.

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