---
title: "Use Case Guide: Data Discovery"
url: "https://atlan.com/resources/use-case-data-discovery/"
description: "A guide to Atlan's data discovery - using search, filters, metadata, and integrations to find trusted assets faster and with the right context."
keywords: "atlan, use case guide data discovery"
---

> Atlan is hosting Context Conference, bringing together the leaders and builders at the frontier of giving AI the context it needs to understand their business. It runs online on October 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM ET. Atlan co-founder Prukalpa Sankar opens and closes the day. Leaders from AstraZeneca, BNY and Verizon share why they invest in context and what they get from it. Registrants get early access to The AI Context Gap, a new study from MIT Technology Review Insights. Register: https://atlan.com/context-conference/

**Use Case Guide: Data Discovery.** An Atlan resource page; its description follows under the page's own heading.

## About this guide

A detailed guide to data discovery in Atlan: how users find and understand the right data assets without heavy reliance on subject matter experts. Problems addressed: siloed tools, tribal knowledge, inaccessible interfaces, and uncertainty about whether data can be trusted.

### Three levels of solutions

1. **Discover assets with search** (page 4). Search in the UI via the search bar or cmd+K, and from integrated tools like Slack and Teams. Synonym search and sorting by relevance, popularity, or recency improve accuracy.
2. **Refine with filters** (page 5). Narrow by asset type, connectors, metadata fields (certificates, owners, classifications, terms), properties, usage metadata, or custom metadata fields such as data freshness scores.
3. **Understand assets** (page 6). Metadata-rich asset profiles show owners, descriptions, certificates, lineage, sample data previews, and custom metadata, so users can establish trust before using an asset.

### Embedding discovery in daily workflows (pages 7-10)

- Embed asset URLs in tools like Jira or slides
- Right-click browser searches with Atlan's Chrome extension
- Consume metadata directly in BI tools with Atlan's sidebar
- View related Slack threads, Jira tickets, and linked resources from within Atlan

### Measuring business impact (page 11)

Measure time saved discovering and understanding assets, reduction in ad hoc requests, and fewer dependencies on individuals. Suggested metrics: ticket volumes, time spent per ticket, and survey-based measures of user effort.

## Related resources

- [Defining Your Adoption Metrics](https://atlan.com/blueprint-resource-defining-adoption-metrics) (guide)
- [Change Management Framework](https://atlan.com/blueprint-resource-change-management-framework) (guide)
- [MCP Spark Idea: Gamification Agent](https://atlan.com/resources/mcp-spark-idea-gamification-agent) (guide)
- [The Cost of Bad Data: And How to Prevent the Mess with Atlan](https://atlan.com/resources/video-collection-data-scares) (guide)