CentraSite does not require you to apply lifecycle models to the assets in your registry. You can create and maintain an asset catalog without them. However, most of CentraSite's policy-based governance controls (e.g., enforcing approval processes, validating attribute settings) can only be applied to assets that have an associated lifecycle model. The use of lifecycle models also makes it easier to manage the assignment of permissions (e.g., granting View permissions to additional organizations) as an asset moves through its lifecycle.

If you want to use design/change-time policies to impose governance controls on a particular type of asset or you want to automate routine management tasks at certain points in the asset's lifecycle (such as setting permission assignments), associate a lifecycle model with the asset type.