subject: Data Governance Implementation : The 4 Key Components and 10 Steps [print this page] Data Governance Implementation : The 4 Key Components and 10 Steps
Websters online dictionary defines Governance as the Exercise of Authority.
Initially data governance initiatives were focussed on Defining levels of Authority, writing policies, appointing stewards. It is time for the governance initiatives to move on from Defining Authority to the Exercise of Authority, focusing on how the data governance policies and procedures can be implemented and enforced.
Successful Data Governance Implementation Practice needs to specifically address data extraction and manipulation processes within the business in order to ensure that the best possible management of risk and maximum commercial benefit of best practice data management are achieved.
Ultimately it is about the data. Let us examine what we now about data.
DATA is the end product that needs to be governed
CODE is what creates data from data.
HARDWARE is where DATA lives and CODE works.
PEOPLE are the glue that binds
In order to Exercise Authority over our data we need to bring together
The 4 Key Components of Data Governance:DATA, CODE, HARDWARE, and PEOPLE.
Previously I have defined the desired outcome of the data governance process as the best possible management of risk and maximum commercial benefit of best practice data management. Combining this definition with the 4 key components of data governance (DATA, CODE, HARDWARE, and PEOPLE), we can derive a top 10 wish list of what we need to achieve best practice data management.
The wish list below represents a pragmatic approach to getting your data under control and ownership assigned. You need to constantly match up your need to exercise control with your ability to do so. Assigning ownership of a whole system to a data steward, whilst unable to list all the uses of the data elements in the organisation, has limited effect. The aim is to grow your command and control capability at the same time as growing your ability to technically manage ownership.
Data Governance Top 10 list of what we need to achieve best practice data management.
Wish 1: I wish I had the big picture.
1) List of all that data elements in the organisation, starting with a list of all the data tables.
2) For each Table, list all the scripts (code) that create or directly update the table.
3) For each Table indicate the database/Hardware component on which the table is hosted
4) For each script (code) in the organisation, list the technical owner/developer
Wish 2: I wish I understood all the dependencies between data elements and my dependency on key Individuals and Hardware components.
5) For each Table list all the Tables directly used to create it.
6) For each table extract from the code all the snippets used to build/update it.
7) For each table assign a business owner.
Wish 3: I wish I understood how each and field was created
8) For each table extract all to code snippets pertaining to each column.
Wish 4: I wish I could Exercise Authority over the data process
9) For each column assign ownership of the business rule used to create it. Translate the code snippets into plain English.
