Alation Launches Document Hubs to Build a Common Data Language Across Teams

Redwood City, Calif. – December 4, 2024 – Alation Inc., the data intelligence company, today announced Document Hubs to simplify data discovery and enhance cross-department collaboration. By establishing a shared data language and centralizing essential documentation—like business glossaries, data products, and AI insights—Document Hubs provides a reliable, accessible resource for teams organization-wide, enabling users to find, understand, and trust the data they need for confident decision-making. 

McKinsey reports that 80% of organizations struggle with isolated data systems, each using unique standards and practices. This fragmentation leads to inconsistent, hard-to-access data that stifles collaboration and innovation. As organizations grow, data becomes scattered across various systems, with disconnected definitions and unclear documentation. Additionally, aligning stakeholders on the meaning of data products also becomes increasingly difficult. Without a common data language, the complexity of data semantics decreases productivity, erodes trust in data-driven decisions, and results in the loss of valuable insights. For teams, navigating this disjointed data without context transforms a strategic asset into a potential liability.

Document Hubs offers a unified solution for organizing and accessing semantics and knowledge around an organization’s data. This enterprise-wide knowledge hub enables seamless collaboration across teams through a shared data language that simplifies access to information and clarifies the impact of key data assets. Rather than searching across multiple systems, users can view role-specific data tailored to their needs. For example, when an organization updates its customer segmentation, Document Hubs provides a centralized resource detailing changes, new segments, and usage guidelines, eliminating the need to gather information from disparate sources. This streamlined access helps users move from uncertainty to informed decisions, translating complex details into accessible insights that every role can readily understand and thus drive better data-driven outcomes for the business.

“Alation’s Document Hubs serve as our knowledge semantic layer for data,” said Sudheen Karri, Data Governance Program Manager at Burns & McDonnell. "Previously, our data was scattered across systems and relied heavily on collective knowledge, making it challenging to link business processes with data applications. Now, with a centralized hub, key applications and data processes are documented and accessible in one place. We've customized our homepage to feature Document Hubs with nested folders, guiding users to the most valuable information and helping everyone use the catalog effectively. This has significantly streamlined visibility into ownership, key business processes, and data sources for our business applications and services. By centralizing this information, we've enabled easier access to critical insights, empowering our teams to make informed decisions faster and align more closely with business goals. Document Hubs has moved us from a reactive to a proactive approach, turning fragmented data into a powerful asset."

“Alation is transforming data from a fragmented resource into a cohesive, strategic asset,” said Gianthomas Volpe, Senior Director, Product Management at Alation. “As the foundational knowledge semantic layer, context and understanding across departments is captured in a single place, creating a common language that drives clarity and trust. Document Hubs enable teams to align on terms, link metrics to business processes, and bring visibility to complex initiatives like AI, transforming data-driven decisions from a black box to a powerful advantage. With Document Hubs, decision-makers gain access to context-rich data, turning isolated insights into measurable business impact for the whole organization.”

Key features of Alation’s Document Hubs include:

• Unified Semantic Model: Users can create a shared data language by establishing multiple hubs that align key terms and definitions across teams. This unified approach improves understanding, supports seamless communication, and enhances collaboration on data initiatives. Users can create document templates tailored to specific object types rather than relying on generic formats. Glossaries of essential terms and standardized acronyms offer a consistent reference point, clarifying how data assets fit into the broader data landscape and supporting informed decision-making.

• Hierarchical Knowledge Layer: Organizations can organize documentation within a structured hierarchy, including nested folders and sub-documents to break down broad categories into specific subcategories. This layered structure helps users quickly locate and understand the content they need. Centralizing documentation simplifies access, enhances content management, and improves overall data utilization. Custom fields can also be added to capture business-specific details, making documents more relevant and valuable across the organization.

• Enhanced Discovery Network: Document Hubs provide a connected network of discoverable assets, making it easy for users to locate relevant data across the organization. Tailored templates and custom metadata and tags enhance searchability and accessibility, allowing users from any department to find the information they need quickly. This visibility accelerates insights and supports faster, data-driven decisions.

• Flexible Content Navigation & Management: Document Hubs offer intuitive navigation with features like reorganization capabilities, navigational links, and change request workflows, ensuring documentation remains relevant, secure, and aligned with evolving needs. The system also supports detailed workflows and security permissions down to the subfolder level, making assets accessible to the right users and empowering departments to manage data independently within robust security standards.