Dealing With Politics

Processes and Alignments

Should leaders of Data Governance programs get involved in corporate politics? That’s a trick question, because the truth is that it’s unavoidable. After all, politics are all around us. They affect what gets done, and who does it. They affect how decisions are made,...

Governance Communications

Processes and Alignments

At a Data Governance Conference in Orlando, Florida (USA), a group of managers of successful Data Governance programs reached a startling consensus: They agreed that Data Governance is actually somewhere between 80 and 95% communications! How can this be? They said...

Governance and Alignment

Processes and Alignments

Data Governance is a balancing act. On the one hand, you need to exert control over how groups create data, manage data, and use data. On the other hand, you need to promote appropriate levels of flexibility. You need to ensure that data-related efforts support the...

Data Governance Program Phases

Getting Started

All programs have lifecycles. The Data Governance Life Cycle has seven phases: Develop a value statement Prepare a roadmap Plan and fund Design Deploy Govern Monitor, measure, report. Note that Data Governance does not begin with the design of the program!  Before you...

Starting a Data Governance Program

Getting Started

A successful Data Governance program does not begin with the design of the program! Before you start deciding who goes on what committee, you should be clear about your program’s value statement. You should have developed a roadmap to share with stakeholders. Those...

Goals and Principles for Data Governance

Getting Started

What do you want Data Governance to accomplish?  Regardless of the focus of your program, chances are you hope to accomplish the following universal goals for Data Governance programs: Goal – Enable better decision-making Goal – Reduce operational friction Goal –...

Funding Models: Funding Data Governance

Getting Started

The DGI Data Governance Framework addresses funding two ways: Obtaining funding and support is a phase in the Data Governance Life Cycle Funding is part of one of the components of the framework. What type of funding is needed? Data Governance programs need to...

Focus Areas for Data Governance

Focus Areas, Getting Started

All Data Governance programs are not alike. Quite the contrary: programs can use the same framework, employ the same processes, and still appear very different. Why is this? It’s because of what the organization is trying to make decisions about or enforce rules for....

Demonstrating Value

Getting Started

Everything an organization does should tie to one of three universal value drivers Increase revenue and value Manage cost and complexity Support Risk Management and Compliance efforts, and increase confidence. Data Governance efforts MUST tie back to one or more of...

Defining Data Governance

Getting Started

There’s an old adage: You can’t manage what you don’t name. And then there’s its corollary: You can’t manage well what you don’t define explicitly. How you define your program will influence your ability to manage it — to keep all participants on focus, in sync, and...