Driving Data Governance Adoption
The data governance framework is defined. You have broad agreement from the business and IT. Accountabilities and responsibilities have been agreed upon. But how do you drive the adoption?
Below are some approaches, and techniques I have used and proposed in recent engagements, to support the adoption of the DG operating model and data quality improvements:
Collaboration and Community Building:
Map out your stakeholders, their accountabilities, responsibilities and influence.
Engage with business areas with purpose! Emphasis on why and how this is an opportunity to add value and improve.
Create data communities and working groups to share overarching approaches, best practices, and track progress, share successes and showcase supporting tooling and capabilities.
Risk Management Alignment:
Align with the incumbent Risk Management and Controls Framework instead of introducing new processes.
Identify and prioritise data risks, incidents and issues and use to align with Data Governance policies and activities and drive action from data and process SMEs and custodians.
Ensure that identified data risks in a business area are represented in strategic risk and mitigation reporting/assertions.
Portfolio, Programme & Change Management Alignment:
Align on an assurance framework to improve how the business and IT consider data requirements.
Manage the impact of data risks and issues on policy, process, and system design and outcomes.
Monetising data risks & issues to support the case for change.
Educating the Business:
Create context-specific data literacy products to educate the business.
Engage in meaningful discussions about data risks and known issues, and the impact on business outcomes in cross-functional team forums.
Business Process Improvement:
Align with business process improvement practices, recognising that business processes use data to deliver outcomes. Where data is not fit for purpose we have a requirement to exercise data stewardship responsibilities.
Focus on Quick Wins:
Look for those that are euphemistic and helpful to drive quick wins
Showcase progress and success in forums to build momentum.
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