Here is some context to this topic. The other day, someone recently asked me what was the difference between data unification and data democratization? I gave this person the down-and -dirty definition of these two trends in data that have been going on for quite a number of years now. So, below is a quick synopsis of what I answered.
Data unification is a current trend for presenting data and relationships in a holistic manner. In today’s cataloging tools, users can see complete views of data entities and relationships with just a few clicks. The ability to view 360, complete views of data across multiple domains, across various platforms is actually a key characteristic of data unification. Now in order to make this happens, many processes have to go on “behind the scenes”. Data has to be cleaned, deduplicated, normalized and standardized so that you can see the relationships among entities and connect those points together. This forms your 360 view. For instance, if data in one system is somehow related to data sitting in another system, the relationship entry point and type of relationship has to be identified and then engineered into the 360-view solution. Many companies custom build products while other companies choose to buy products that offer the 360-view. Either way, you still need to know your data, where it is located, how data is connected, etc.
While data unification is about doing the work to present data under one 360-“roof”, data democratization is about access. Access to data is key for any data-related role in the company. While some roles are more business-facing, others are more technical. Some people will own the data while others will consume the data. Still, some people will be stewards of the data in a business unit, others will be custodians or be involved in more technical aspects of maintaining the data. Data Democratization involves enabling a culture in a company which allows ALL users with given rights, to access and consume whatever data they need daily to do their jobs.
The long and short of it –
Data unification is presenting data and its relationship while data democratization is about access.
Resources
Bourgeois, Benjamin (Feb. 19, 2024). Profisee blog. What is data unification and why is it important?
https://profisee.com/blog/what-is-data-unification-why-is-it-important/
What Does Democratizing Data Mean? Unlocking the Power of Data Cultures. Mar 2023. DataCamp. https://www.datacamp.com/blog/what-does-democratizing-data-mean
HEATH Information 