Data Management 
The storing, processing, application of data security, maintaining data privacy and the maintenance of data currency within an organisation. Good data management helps an organisation to make effective and efficient use of their data, creating value and for driving productive, income, profit, innovation and the long-term viability of the organisation.
Data Security
The protection of data and information from theft, misuse, alteration, deletion, corruption and unauthorised use. Physical, hard copy data will typically be kept in locked cabinets, which themselves are kept in locked rooms and buildings, often with alarms for use when the building is unattended or closed. Digital data can be secured though the use of encryption, the use of strong passwords and ensuring software is kept up to date with security patches. Different levels of security will be applied to the relative sensitivity of data.
Decision Log
A formal, well-structured and documented record of decisions taken.
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Decision Support System
A computerised system which helps support a decision-making process. A decision support system might include a knowledge-based system or a data system for analysis of financial, weather, performance indicator, sustainability indicator, etc. data. The decision choices will be represented in a model, being particularly useful for ‘What if' scenarios, and will ideally have an intuitive user interface. This is often shortened to the acronym DSS.
Decision Tree
A diagram, chart or model which helps support the of decision making, providing a sequence of actions and outcomes, including the likelihood of each option and value of the resultant outcome. Decision trees will typically follow an IF and THEN pattern: IF this is selected THEN this will most likely occur. It can, however, also incorporate other features such as conditional probabilities, whereby the probability of an outcome occurring is dependent or conditional on another event having occurred or being present. For example, the likelihood of a football match being cancelled due to waterloggi
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Deck
1. A mowing unit, mainly meaning that which is attached to a ride-on rotary or flail mower. The mower is typically referred to as 1-deck, 3-deck, etc. depending upon the number of mowing units which are present on the ride-on.
2. An informal term for a prepared cricket pitch.
Defects Liability Period
The period from the completion of a project in which the contractor for the works is responsible for correcting, or rectifying, any problems or defects which arise or are subsequently identified. A typical time period for a defects liability is 12-months, during which time it is essential that a client immediately and formally brings to the attention of the contractor any works that do not meet the required standard and which are therefore identified as defective. Having a formal monitoring and post-construction project assessment programme is important to ensure that project goods continue to
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Deficiency
A situation where there is a lack of a resource. This might be a nutrient deficiency, a lack of available water, a lack of staff to undertake all of the required work, a lack of funds to carry out essential works, or any other situation where there is an inadequate resource.
Density
1. For artificial surfaces this is an expression of the quantity of fibres within a defined area.
2. For natural grass surfaces this relates to the quantity of grass leaves within a defined area.
Depreciation
The gradual transfer of the initial cost of a fixed asset, from Capital Expenditure, such as an item of machinery, e.g. a ride-on mower, from the Balance Sheet to the Profit and Loss Account. The amount of depreciation shows how much an asset has lost of its value. For example, if an item of machinery was purchased for £25,000 and was valued as having a life span (or economic life) of 5 years, this would mean it would depreciate in value over 5 years, but the actual amount of depreciation would depend on the method used: typically either Straight Line Depreciation or Reducing Balance Deprecia
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