Data governance is a growing concern for the 21st century business. More and more companies are incorporating forms of data management that are costly and intertwine expensive aspects of their business. By learning more about the facts of governance aspects and procedures, companies can make sure that they do not make a costly mistake that could put their data at risk.
What is Data Governance?
Data governance is the way that companies allocate who will be in charge of managing, storing, and securing their data. It is a process of setting responsibility and drawing up policies and procedures to ensure that data is handled efficiently and safely. Governance involves the allocation of resources, the delegation of responsibility, and a system of communication and feedback to ensure that best practices are being followed.
Technology
Governance of data relies on an embrace and understanding of technology. Companies have to know what technology they have to manage and access data. They have to either train current employees or hire new ones that understand exactly how to access and perhaps even troubleshoot their data management technology.
Duties
Companies must have employees that know their governance duties and responsibilities. These responsibilities have to be well-publicized and revisited from time to time to ensure that they are being done properly.
The Responsibilities of management
Management has a certain responsibility in any data governance framework. Managers have to be able to review and change a governance structure if that structure is deficient in any way. They have to be a part of the governance process even if they are not technology experts.
Communication
A governance must involve communication. People need to know where to turn if they have any sort of data problems. They must be open at almost all possible hours and through a wide variety of media. No employee should ever feel like they are being left behind in the governance process.
Feedback
A governance professional should have a standardized system of receiving and responding to feedback. This feedback helps individuals grow and mature over the months and years that they are working in the governance field.
Visibility
The individuals in charge of governance of data should have a certain level of visibility in a company. They should not be an anonymous name behind an email address. Instead, they should be visible and open to suggestions about their work from their employees.
Consultants
One fact of governance outside of the confines of a company is the existence of governance consultants. These men and women often have years of experience drawing up and implementing governance structures and procedures. They may be a helpful place to turn for any companies uncertain about their governance strategy.
Conclusion
Governance is an essential part of any data strategy. This aspect of data is not always covered when one is researching data management software or cloud computing. But it can be the secret to making any new data management system work. More information is critical to allow companies to make the best possible governance decisions for their employees.