Modern catalogs govern and increasingly contextualize the data estate. MyDataWork starts from the other end: the analytical work practitioners manage across use cases, tools, people, dependencies, outcomes and value.
A data catalog organizes knowledge around governed data. MyDataWork organizes analytical work around the use case and practitioner. They overlap by design; the difference is what each system is built around.
The business use case behind each asset — not just that the asset exists.
The real stakeholders and why they rely on it — beyond a nominal owner field.
The working definition a team actually uses, captured where the work happens.
Recommendations, action plans, and next steps — not just static metadata.
Continuity notes and dependencies before you retire or move a tool.
The work that's quietly become critical across multiple initiatives.
| Data catalog | MyDataWork | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary object | Governed data asset | Analytical use case and the work around it |
| Human role | A resource for finding, understanding and trusting data | A persistent workspace around analytical work |
| Context held | Definitions, semantics, policies, quality, lineage | Purpose, stakeholders, practical ownership, activity, dependencies, outcome, value |
| For AI | Trusted governed data context | Work and use-case context |
Expose approved use cases, linked assets, lineage, and outcomes over the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — so AI and agents work from real, current context.
Point-in-time snapshots of the work for governance reviews or portfolio reporting — feeding the systems you already run.
Explorer is free for 90 days — connect your estate and see the context your catalog is missing. No credit card.