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Rapid Battle Cards 01–10

1. Reference Data vs Master Data

  • Reference: allowed/classifying domain values.
  • Master: core enterprise entity identities and attributes.
  • Deciding clue: “What category/value?” vs “Which real-world entity?”

2. Master Data vs Transaction Data

  • Master: persistent context/objects involved in activity.
  • Transaction: records the activity/event itself.
  • Deciding clue: Customer/Product vs Order/Payment/Invoice line.

3. Reference/Master Data vs Metadata

  • Reference/Master: operational business context/entities.
  • Metadata: describes source, meaning, steward, version, lineage, schedule.
  • Deciding clue: value/entity vs information about the data.

4. RDM vs MDM

  • RDM: domains, values, definitions, mappings, hierarchies, versions.
  • MDM: entity values and identifiers across systems.
  • Deciding clue: code/domain consistency vs real-world identity consistency.

5. System of Record vs System of Reference

  • SOR: authoritative create/maintain location.
  • System of Reference: authoritative consumer access point.
  • Deciding clue: write authority vs read/consumption authority.

6. Trusted Source vs Golden Record

  • Trusted Source: best governed source/view.
  • Golden Record: reconciled record for one entity instance.
  • Deciding clue: environment/view vs one entity record.

7. Golden Record vs Perfect Truth

  • Golden Record: best available reconciled entity record.
  • Perfect truth: unrealistic guarantee of complete/accurate omniscience.
  • Trap: “golden” does not eliminate unknown or imperfect attributes.

8. List vs Cross-reference

  • List: one governed code set + description.
  • Cross-reference: translation between alternative representations.
  • Example: Active/Inactive list vs US ↔ USA ↔ 840 crosswalk.

9. Cross-reference vs Taxonomy

  • Cross-reference: maps equivalent representations.
  • Taxonomy: parent-child classification / levels of specificity.
  • Deciding clue: translate vs organize hierarchically.

10. Taxonomy vs Ontology

  • Taxonomy: hierarchy/classification.
  • Ontology: richer formal concepts and relationships.
  • Deciding clue: tree-like classification vs semantic relationship model.

Source: pp. 332–340.

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