If the data directory only has technical table names, business personnel still need to ask people everywhere. A usable catalog should answer what it is, what it can do, and who to call if you have questions.

First clarify the problem and conditions

Add business name, field description, update frequency, sample scope and application entrance; manage the visible permissions of sensitive fields together with the actual query permissions.

Put the rules into the actual process

For example, the order details directory can indicate whether it contains canceled orders, what the unit of amount is, the date of the latest update, and list the business roles responsible for the interpretation.

Check with specific scenarios

Ask people who have not participated in the development to search for data based on a real analysis problem and observe whether they can complete the application and judgment independently; when permissions are insufficient, clear prompts should be given instead of a blank page.

Check the processing results item by item

  • The search terms in the directory should be close to the department’s habits.
  • The same piece of data may be called a payment table, payment details or payment record. Aliases can help find it, but the final name should remain consistent.
  • The sample data should be desensitized and only used to explain the format, and the directory itself should not be used as an entry point to bypass permissions to view information.
  • The data manager and technical maintainer should also be marked in the directory. The two are responsible for explaining the caliber and handling collection problems, and cannot replace each other.
  • When data is stopped or ready to go offline, status prompts are placed on the details page and existing users are reminded at the same time.
  • Regularly check the search results for words and application records to find missing instructions.
  • The usefulness of a catalog depends on employees’ ability to find the appropriate data and determine its purpose, not just the number of entries.

How to review before and after going online

Field descriptions can record common misunderstandings, such as whether the amount includes tax and which unit the quantity is in. After business staff make corrections, the responsible person will confirm and then update the directory to avoid free comments being mistaken for formal rules.