Roles and Responsibility

There are two quality goals for READ. The first is for READ to support EPA efforts to improve the quality of its information management. The second is for the data in READ to be high quality in order to meet the first goal.


How does READ Contribute to Quality Information?

READ is the only one-stop system for learning about EPA’s information resources such as systems and models. Prior to READ, there was no source for determining what systems were owned by EPA, much less what the purpose of those systems was and who the contacts were.

Accessible via the Internet, READ enables quick and timely discovery of EPA systems and models. There is a record for each system and model. Each record provides a complete picture of that resource, including the official title, acronym, description, and how it supports the EPA mission. For example, READ enables the public to learn which systems have publicly available data, and then provides direct links to that data.

Having a comprehensive picture of each information resource is necessary for EPA to improve its information management objectives. Data reported in READ is exported to other systems, thus reducing duplicative reporting. A system name and acronym reported in READ is utilized by other IT management tools, ensuring consistent identification for that system. Prior to the implementation of READ, lack of consistency and redundant data collection about IT systems was a serious information management deficiency.


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How is the Quality of the Information within READ Ensured?

EPA has introduced various steps to improve the quality of the information in READ.  Quality requires many different players, each with different roles for ensuring the quality of the information in READ.

Primary Information Resource Steward The Steward is the individual given primary responsibility for managing the information in a READ record. This is a person who has a direct understanding of the information resource and typically oversees its operations. The steward is best placed to know what technologies are used by the application/system, which Governmental statutes are supported by the application/system and how it supports the Enterprise Architecture.

Stewardship involves the creation and maintenance of quality information assets. It encompasses the entire life cycle of the asset from its inception through its eventual replacement, retirement, and archival.

Information Management Officer (IMO) : The Information Management Officer (IMO) is a designated individual within each EPA program office and each EPA regional office. These individuals are responsible for ensuring that the program/regional office’s business needs and mission are supported by its information and information technology planning. In addition, the IMO ensures that the planning and information helps achieve EPA's strategic goals.

Within this role, each IMO has overarching responsibility for the designated program/regional office’s information resource records in READ. The IMO approves or rejects:

The IMO also is tasked with coordinating with the steward to ensure completeness and accuracy of the information resource records.

System Administrator The READ System Administrator is the individual who manages the READ system, and has edit rights to all fields in all records in READ. The System Administrator supports the IMO in the management of high-level quality data in READ.

For example, the System Administrator must review requests for new information resource records to ensure the resource name and acronym are clear and conform to basic rules. One of these rules is that the resource acronym cannot duplicate an acronym for any other resource record.

The System Administrator also works with the IMO and the steward to change fields that are editable only by the System Administrator, such as which individuals should have edit access to a READ record or the identity of the managing organization. These checks on certain fields help ensure quality of fields that are critical to the overall quality of the information in READ.


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