Method and system for data quality management

1. A system for data quality management, comprising:

a processor; and

a query storage, scheduling and execution module to send a query to a source database to collect trend data associated with a characteristic of an element associated with a project, the query storage, scheduling and execution module comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprises:

a database selection section configured to allow a user to select a source database to query;

a defect selection section configured to receive a query relating to a number of defects of a project from a user, wherein the results of the query relating to the number of defects of the project is a determination of the number of defects associated with the project from the source database, wherein the defect section is further configured to allow the user to define a defect that will determine an amount of defects of a project from the source database;

an opportunity selection section configured to allow the user to enter or define an opportunity query that will determine from the source database an amount of opportunities to make a defect;

a query section configured to receive input from the user relating to scheduling when the defect and opportunity queries are to be executed;

a project program overview section configured to display a number of projects associated with at least one data steward, a number of data stewards associated with or assigned to each project, and a percent of projects without an associated or assigned data steward;

a project update section configured to:

collect data on a predefined time schedule, wherein data is associated with a project; and

determine an indication of a trend based on at least the data collected, wherein determining an indication of a trend is based on at least comparing the data collected with a predefined project goal; and

a control section configured to:

define a control plan to execute a control process at least in response to the indication of a trend towards meeting the predefined project goal;

generate one or more management reports based on the execution of the control process;

validate the effectiveness of the control process based on the one or more management reports; and

determine whether the control plan is effective based on at least the one or more management reports;

when the control plan is effective, implement improvement methods to achieve the predefined project goal at a faster rate; and

when the control plan is ineffective, redefine the control plan.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data structure to generate a predetermined representation based on a comparison of the trend data and a project goal.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to implement an improvement related to the project in response to the representation of the data indicating a trend toward not meeting a predefined project goal.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to define a control plan in response to the data indicating a trend being out of control.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein defining a defect query comprises entering computer code.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein defining the opportunity query comprises entering computer code.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer code comprises SQL language.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising system manages multiple projects, each project comprises multiple characteristics, each characteristic comprises defects and opportunities.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a data entry module to define at least one element associated with the project and to defining one or more measurable characteristics for each element; and

a control chart module to generate a control chart for each characteristic from the collected data related to each characteristic.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a run chart module to generate a run chart based on a comparison of the collected trend data to the predefined project goal.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a management reports module to generate a management report related to a control process associated with the control plan.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an alert definition and detection agent to detect a measurable characteristic associated with an element of the project being out of control.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a personalized reports and alerts module operable on the processor;

an administration and customer report module operable on the processor;

a personalized e-mail generation and delivery agent operable on the processor.

14. A method of data quality management, comprising:

presenting, by a computer, a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user for sending a query to a source database to collect trend data associated with a characteristic of an element associated with a project;

receiving, by the computer, a user selection of a source database to query;

receiving, by the computer, a user-defined defect query that will determine from the source database a number of defects associated with a project;

receiving, by the computer, a user-defined opportunity query that will determine from the source database an amount of opportunities to make a defect;

receiving, by the computer, user input for scheduling when the defect and opportunity queries are to be executed;

sending, by the computer, a scheduled query to the source database to collect trend data associated with a characteristic of an element associated with the project, the scheduled query being based on the user-defined defect query, the user-defined opportunity query and the user-defined scheduling;

displaying, by the computer, a number of projects associated with at least one data steward, a number of data stewards associated with or assigned to each project, and a percent of projects without an associated or assigned data steward;

collecting data on a predefined time schedule, wherein data is associated with the project;

determining, by the computer, an indication of a trend based on at least the data collected, wherein determining an indication of a trend is based on at least comparing the data collected with a predefined project goal;

defining, by the computer, a control plan to execute a control process at least in response to the indication of a trend towards meeting the predefined project goal;

generating, by the computer, one or more management reports based on the execution of the control process;

validating, by the computer, the effectiveness of the control process based on the one or more management reports;

determining, by the computer, whether the control plan is effective based on at least the one or more management reports;

when the control plan is effective, implementing improvement methods to achieve the predefined project goal at a faster rate; and

when the control plan is ineffective, redefining the control plan.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

collecting data via a computer related to a project;

generating via the computer a predetermined representation of the data.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising implementing via the computer an improvement related to the project in response to the representation of the data indicating a trend toward not meeting the predefined project goal.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising defining via the computer a control plan in response to the data indicating a trend toward not meeting the predefined project goal.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

defining at least one element associated with a project;

defining one or more measurable characteristics for each element; and

generating a control chart for each characteristic from the collected data related to each characteristic.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising analyzing any trends related to each characteristic.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising generating an alert in response to any characteristic being out of control.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising automatically generating an e-mail to send the alert.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising generating a management report related to a control process associated with the control plan.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising revising the control plan in response to the control process not being effective.

24. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

defining at least one element associated with a project;

entering one or more measurable characteristics for each element;

entering a predefined goal for each measurable characteristic;

entering a database query for each characteristic;

entering source data connectivity parameters; and

entering a data collection execution schedule for each characteristic.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for data quality management, the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user for sending a query to a source database to collect trend data associated with a characteristic of an element associated with a project;

receiving a user selection of a source database to query;

receiving a user-defined defect query that will determine from the source database a number of defects associated with a project;

receiving a user-defined opportunity query that will determine from the source database an amount of opportunities to make a defect;

receiving user input for scheduling when the defect and opportunity queries are to be executed;

sending a scheduled query to the source database to collect trend data associated with a characteristic of an element associated with the project, the scheduled query being based on the user-defined defect query, the user-defined opportunity query and the user-defined scheduling;

displaying a number of projects associated with at least one data steward, a number of data stewards associated with or assigned to each project, and a percent of projects without an associated or assigned data steward;

collecting data on a predefined time schedule, wherein data is associated with the project;

determining an indication of a trend based on at least the data collected, wherein determining an indication of a trend is based on at least comparing the data collected with a predefined project goal;

defining a control plan to execute a control process at least in response to the indication of a trend towards meeting the predefined project goal;

generating one or more management reports based on the execution of the control process,

validating the effectiveness of the control process based on the one or more management reports;

determining whether the control plan is effective based on at least the one or more management reports;

when the control plan is effective, implementing improvement methods to achieve the predefined project goal at a faster rate; and

when the control plan is ineffective, redefining the control plan.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising:

collecting data via a computer related to a project;

generating via the computer a predetermined representation of the data.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , further comprising implementing an improvement related to the project in response to the representation of the data indicating a trend toward not meeting the predefined project goal.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , further comprising defining via the computer a control plan in response to the data indicating a trend toward not meeting the predefined project goal.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising;

defining at least one element associated with a project;

defining one or more measurable characteristics for each element; and

generating a control chart for each characteristic from the collected data related to each characteristic.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , further comprising analyzing any trends related to each characteristic.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , further comprising generating an alert in response to any characteristic being out of control.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31 , further comprising automatically generating an e-mail to send the alert.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising generating a management report related to a control process associated with the control plan.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising generating a run chart based on comparing the collected trend data to the predefined project goal.