Guide your data governance initiatives to the right direction

To ensure success, it’s crucial to begin by asking why. Why are we taking a certain action or making a specific plan? This mindset applies particularly well to data governance. Organizations may choose to implement data governance for a variety of reasons. Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

In today’s age, data is one of the most valuable assets a business can have. It drives decision-making, powers innovation and helps organizations stay competitive. However, with the amount of data growing at an unprecedented rate, managing and governing that data has become increasingly complex and critical. This is where data governance comes in.

Data governance supports managing data as a strategic asset. It involves the development and enforcement of policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines for data as well as defined roles and responsibilities to support it all. In short, data governance helps organizations ensure the availability, reusability, quality, security, and compliance of their data.

So why is data governance important for businesses?

Data governance is important for business as it ensures that data is treated as an asset, by being collected, stored, and used in a consistent, secure, and compliant manner, and aligning it with the business goals and objectives.

Here are a few possible value drivers:

  1. Better utilization of data assets: With good data governance in place, organizations can more effectively use their data assets to create data products, gain insights and make data-driven decisions, leading to better performance, optimization and process improvement.
  2. Improved Data Quality: With data governance in place, organizations can better ensure that the data they use is accurate, complete, and consistent. This leads to more effective decision-making and a greater return on investment in data projects. Fit-for-purpose data quality is crucial when implementing AI/ML models and based on studies one of the key reasons why these development projects fail is bad quality data.
  3. Compliance: In an age where data-related regulations are becoming increasingly strict, data governance can help organizations comply with laws and regulations such as GDPR or the upcoming EU Data and AI Acts. Failure to comply can result in significant fines and reputational damage.
  4. Data Security: Data breaches can have devastating consequences for businesses, both financially and in terms of reputation. Data governance helps organizations understand and protect sensitive data.
  5. Cost Savings: Implementing effective data governance can help organizations avoid costly mistakes such as inaccurate data or loss of data, which can result in wasted resources and lost revenue.
  6. Control over Data: By implementing data governance, organizations can ensure that data access, processing and management is done in a controlled, regulated and accountable way.

Summary

In summary, data governance is essential for organizations that want to effectively manage and utilize their data. By investing in data governance, businesses can better ensure the availability, reusability, quality, security, and compliance of their data, ultimately driving e.g. better decision-making, cost savings, and a competitive advantage. When starting your path towards implementing data governance, figure out your reasons to implement it. That will not only support you in creating a business case but also guide your data governance initiatives to the right direction.

About the author Patrick Qvick

Patrick Qvick is Senior Data and AI Strategist and Head of Data Governance at DAIN Studios in Helsinki.

Get in touch with Patrick Qvick to learn how DAIN Studios can help you govern your data better.

Details

Title: Start your data governance journey by understanding why
Author:
DAIN Studios, Data & AI Strategy Consultancy
Published in
Updated on March 29, 2023

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