AstraZENeca and the A&RT of metadata maintenance

ISSN： 1757-093X

Source： Pharmaceutical Programming, Vol.3, Iss.2, 2010-12, pp. : 57-63

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Abstract

The use of metadata to drive dynamic programming is a common and well documented process, from Oracle® system tables to the SAS® SQL dictionary tables. Analysis and Reporting Technology (A&RT), AstraZeneca’s first truly global reporting system, extends this concept to incorporate data standards, metadata maintenance and metadata re-use; leveraging structural hierarchy (an arrangement of items, e.g. objects, names, values, categories, etc., in which the items are represented as being ‘above’, ‘below’, or ‘at the same level as’ one another and with only one ‘neighbour’ above and below each level), equivalence (assigning one object to another) and inheritance (a way to form new classes, instances of which are called objects, using classes that have already been defined. Inheritance is intended to help reuse existing code with little or no modification), together with the collection of metadata ahead of time to streamline the process and minimize resource intensive activities on the critical path to submission. We will look at the how and why of the A&RT reporting solution, process versus technology, key touch points for any reporting solution, and visions for the future. We will touch on the importance of integrating a data standardization process and organization into the reporting technology. We will discuss how adding metadata collection and import/export functionality to a reporting technology can help facilitate the validation of data standards and the production of key deliverables. Our roadmap for the future includes enhanced impact analysis, tighter integration between UNIX processing power and windows UI components, and a lifecycle management plan to ensure that our technology base remains current and our system enhancements user driven.