When identifying improvements focused on the information asset life cycle, which of the following is CRITICAL for enabling data interoperability?

Standardization involves establishing common data formats, protocols, and definitions, which are essential for different systems, applications, or organizations to seamlessly share, interpret, and process information, thereby enabling data interoperability.

Replication involves copying data to multiple locations and, while important for availability and disaster recovery, does not inherently enable data interoperability.

Segregation involves isolating data, which is crucial for security and compliance but directly opposes the goal of data interoperability.

Sanitization involves securely erasing data and is a critical part of the data lifecycle's end, but it does not facilitate interoperability during active use.