The Evolution of Data Management at the FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a large federal government agency with a critical mission - making air travel safe both nationally and internationally. The quality and reliability of FAA's information and data resources are vital to air traffic management, aircraft & pilot certification, and other aviation safety functions. As with many organizations, information sharing and data management activities have been challenged by cultural influences and the powerful empires within the agency. This presentation will discuss: the early FAA data management initiatives within a limited portion of the agency; the program's expansion into international and interagency disciplines; and its current transition into a true enterprise-wide information / data management program. Also included will be discussions on what helped to break down the empire walls, governance, and other lessons learned along the way.