Section 1: 35–45%I4

Data Management and the Data Life Cycle

Exam insight

Reliable reporting and analytics depend on well-governed data, so the AICPA tests the data life cycle, database structures, and data-quality dimensions. Understanding keys, normalization, and the difference between a data warehouse and a data lake is essential for ISC.

What AICPA wants you to know

1Describe the stages of the data life cycle and the role of data governance.
2Explain relational database concepts including primary keys, foreign keys, and normalization.
3Distinguish a data warehouse, data lake, and data mart and the role of ETL.
4Identify the dimensions of data quality.
5Differentiate structured and unstructured data and the purpose of master data management.

Patterns in this topic

The exam re-skins the same archetypes. Recognize these here, then drill them in the Pattern Lab.

The Data BackboneStructure, store, and check the data: primary and foreign keys relate the tables, and the quality dimensions decide whether it can be trusted.

Exam tip

Study smarter: before you expand each card, cover the screen and try to recall what the concept means from its title alone. Retrieving it from memory builds the recall the exam actually tests, and it beats re-reading.