Data Management Special Interest Area.

During the summer of 2003, data managers received both exciting news and a challenge. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD(AT & L)), announced their interest in developing a resource for data management professionals in both government and private industry; specifically, a Special Interest Area (SIA) for data management professionals. The SIA would allow data managers to share their knowledge and solve business problems in a collaborative environment. OUSD(AT & L) supported development of the community within the Defense Acquisition University's Acquisition Community Connection (ACC) Web site.

The challenge went out to the Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, which accepted the tasking and volunteered time and resources to build the new Data Management SIA. Within a few short months, Robert Leibrand and Leslie Reed, both from the NAVICP Engineering and Product Support Directorate, supported by Patrick Montgomery of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); and the DAU ACC editors and support staff, had laid the foundation for the community. The Data Management SIA was first established as an ACC workspace in order to facilitate the development, collaboration, and site building required prior to becoming a recognized SIA.

The finalized Data Management SIA is composed of five main areas--Policy and Guidance, Tools, Training Center, Community Connection, and Industry Initiatives. Since the community's launch, many new useful and insightful contributions have been posted, from Department of Defense and Service regulations and instructions, to various links on military specifications and standards as well as news concerning private industry data management initiatives.

Recently, at the invitation of OUSD(AT & L), Reed gave a presentation on the Data Management community at the quarterly conference of the G33 & G47 Committees of the Government and Electronics Information Technology Association (GEIA), which was held Jan. 26-29, 2004, at the Hanalei Hotel in San Diego, Calif. The presentation on the community was enthusiastically received, and a decision was made to use the site as the collaborative tool for the development of the EIA 859 Standard for Data Management Handbook. Through increased content, participation and membership, enhanced by the handbook collaboration, Data Management is progressing, and the Defense Acquisition University ACC editors and support staff are striving to ensure its evolution from an SIA to a member Community within the ACC.