Metadata Matters

Digital technology has become our externalized nervous system. Our mental activities are closely linked to the quality and organization of the data we produce and consult on a daily basis. For our work to be effective and well-coordinated, it is necessary that our metadata system be fit for purpose and regularly updated. John Horodyski's book Metadata Matters is an impassioned plea for intelligent metadata management. It is a must read for Chief Information Officers, Chief Data Officers and anyone concerned with sound knowledge management.-Pierre Lévy, PhD, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, CEO of INTLEKT Metadata Inc.

Metadata guru John manages to pull off the difficult task of writing a book that's not only much needed and useful but also highly engaging. In lucid prose, using rich examples from our personal and professional lives, John makes a strong case for metadata and its central role for your digital strategy. You'll learn how metadata can increase the return on investment of marketing and content systems. There's practical guidance, best practices and more to put all this knowledge into practice as well. A must read for marketing, content, and digital professionals.-Kashyap Kompella, CEO, RPA2AI Research

Metadata is about making information accessible, and John Horodyski has made the subject of metadata accessible to all in this very readable book that not only teaches principles of metadata but also increases our awareness and appreciation of metadata. Drawing on his rich experience as consultant, Horodyski thoroughly addresses metadata in all fields and industries. This book is not limited to those who plan to manage their metadata but is for anyone who wonders whether they need to or whether they should even care.-Heather Hedden, Author, The Accidental Taxonomist

From helping us make our everyday choices to making our machines smart, metadata powers our world. John's book is a love song sung to the stuff that's about stuff, full of stories that will entertain you and examples that will help you understand, craft, and choose metadata that indeed matters.-Louis Rosenfeld, co-author of Information Architecture and publisher and founder, Rosenfeld Media

In what is certain to be a seminal work on metadata, John Horodyski masterfully affirms the value of metadata while providing practical examples of its role in our personal and professional lives. He does more than tell us that metadata matters-he vividly illustrates why it matters. As a Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Metadata Expert, Horodyski is uniquely aware that metadata itself is an asset that is needed to provide context so that other information can be located, retrieved, managed, and interpreted. He distinguishes among different types of metadata-descriptive, administrative, and structural-and discusses the usefulness of metadata standards to provide consistency which can facilitate findability, migration, and interoperability, as well as result in cost savings. Whether new to the concept of metadata or veteran metadata specialists, by the end of the book, all readers will be metadata champions!-Patricia C. Franks, PhD, CA, CRM, IGP, CIGO, FAI, President, NAGARA, Professor Emerita, San José State University, USA

Finally, an easy-to-read handbook that explores how metadata can inspire us to unlock the potential of the information we create. In Metadata Matters, John Horodyski delivers practical, real-world examples of how putting metadata to work can help us develop differentiating capabilities that would be otherwise difficult or impossible to enjoy. Do yourself a favor. Get this book and devour every chapter. You'll discover how effectively using metadata can dramatically advance the role of content across your enterprise.-Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler