Identity resolution is an operational intelligence process, typically powered by an identity resolution engine or middleware stack, whereby organizations can connect disparate data sources with a view to understanding possible identity matches and non-obvious relationships across multiple data silos. It analyzes all of the information relating to individuals and/or entities from multiple sources of data, and then applies likelihood and probability scoring to determine which identities are a match and what, if any, non-obvious relationships exist between those identities.
Identity resolution engines are typically used to uncover risk, fraud, and conflicts of interest, but are also useful tools for use within Customer Data Integration (CDI) and Master Data Management (MDM) requirements.
For example: Across different data silos - employee records, vendor data, watch lists, etc. - an organization may have several variations of an identity named Muammar al-Gaddafi, which may or may not be the same individual. These entries may, in fact, appear as Moamar El Kadhaafi, Moammar Khadafy, or Mo'ammar Gadhafi within those data sources. By comparing similarities between underlying attributes such as address, date of birth, or social security number, the user can eliminate some possible matches and confirm others as very likely matches.
Identity resolution engines then apply rules, based on common sense logic, to identify hidden relationships across the data. In the example above, perhaps Muammar al-Quaddafi and Mo'ammar Gadhafi are not the same individual, but rather two distinct people who share common attributes such as address or phone number.
While entity resolution solutions include data matching technology, many data matching offerings do not fit the definition of identity (or entity) resolution. Here are four factors that distinguish entity resolution from data matching, according to Prof. John Talburt, director of the UALR Laboratory for Advanced Research in Entity Resolution and Information Quality:
In contrast to data quality products, more powerful identity resolution engines also include a rules engine and workflow process, which apply business intelligence to the resolved identities and their relationships. These advanced technologies make automated decisions and impact business processes in real time, limiting the need for human intervention.
Typical uses for identity resolution engines include terrorist screening, insurance fraud detection, USA Patriot Act compliance, Organized retail crime ring detection and applicant screening.