In short
Visian scopes and rolls out Collibra: priority scope, named roles (data owners, data stewards), a glossary validated by the business, then automated metadata collection. A cross-platform catalogue is mostly justified when several platforms coexist.
Collibra
The technology
Collibra is a data governance platform: catalogue, business glossary, lineage, role management (data owners, data stewards) and approval workflows.
A catalogue only has value if it is populated and used. The project is organisational first: priority scope, named roles, definitions validated by the business, then automated metadata collection.
Commitments
Visian engagements on Collibra
- Governance scoping: perimeter, roles, operating model
- Tool selection: Collibra, Alation, Atlan, DataGalaxy or OpenMetadata
- Catalogue and glossary rollout on a first domain
- Source connection and automated lineage
- Running the data steward community and measuring adoption
These engagements are part of the Data governanceexpertise, on a fixed-price, time-and-materials or service-centre basis.
Comparison
Collibra, Purview or Unity Catalog
| Solution | Family | Scope | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collibra | Governance suite | Cross-platform | Data office, glossary and roles at group level |
| Microsoft Purview | Platform catalogue | Microsoft ecosystem | Organisations centred on Azure and Fabric |
| Unity Catalog | Platform catalogue | Databricks ecosystem | Access rights and lineage within Databricks |
Source: Visian white paper Catalogues de données (in French, October 2026).
Key figures
Facts and figures
- 350 data & AI consultants and 120+ projects delivered since 2016 (Visian, 2026).
- According to Gartner, 60% of data leaders rank cultural resistance as the top cause of governance failure, ahead of budget (40%) (cited in the Visian white paper Catalogues de données, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
Collibra: FAQ
Which domain to start with?
A high-stakes domain with a limited scope and an identified business sponsor: customer data, product master data or regulatory reporting.
Is Collibra essential?
No. The choice depends on the size of the data estate, budget and ecosystem. Lighter alternatives suit a first rollout.