Data Governance: Impact Effort Matrix

I'll share here a detailed approach on using the Impact Effort analysis for prioritization approach

Process

The process to establish the Impact Effort matrix is a collaborative approach where key members will be asked to vote on the items. The items are gathered primarily by surveying business leaders, data owners and data governance leads. The input from business leaders are critical to this process to assess the business value. The input from the data governance council and the data governance leads are critical since they (especially those who are skilled at data governance) are the subject matter experts and ensures that the critical data governance benefits (aligned with the business goals) are represented.

For identified use cases to be tackled by the data governance, gather scoring across these 5 dimensions and stack rank them. This helps to place the items on the impact effort matrix.

• Score each initiative based on the following five criteria:

  1. Alignment with business goals and objectives

  2. Impact on data risks and vulnerabilities

  3. Maturity of the organization's data governance program

  4. Stakeholder input

  5. Amount of resources needed (effort/cost/resources)

To collaborate, to identify top-ranked initiatives for implementation, to get buy-in from the leadership, to get buy-in from the tactical/operational teams to implement solutions, assemble the members and provide instructions on how to vote. Start with the initial matrix established through the scoring/ranking approach. To get the voting, we have used a digital canvas to do this successfully instead of a physical whiteboard. Each member is given the entire set of items and asked to put them in four dimensions within their own canvas. These are then compared and discussed to ensure we have a clear understanding of the business impact and the time/cost/resource impact. The items move around until we have a consensus on where it should be. This is somewhat similar to the technique I'd used for prioritizing ideas through the Six Sigma Affinity diagram. Note, there is a variation on this technique if you do it on a whiteboard in a conference room. An important consideration is to identify quick win short-cycle (3-4 month window) deliverables.

Below is a diagram I created to illustrate an example of how the Impact Effort matrix can aid in your prioritization of data governance activities

High Impact Low Effort

High Impact High Effort

Low Impact High Effort

Low Impact Low Effort

There are other approaches to prioritization. Some of these approaches are to guide prioritization for idea, product, new market analysis. You can research these further. I might write a blog entry for couple of them in the future

• Kano Model

• MoSCoW

• Story Mapping

• Speed Boat

• Ian McCalister Framework

• Financial Analysis

• Opportunity Scoring

• RICE Method

• Feasibility, Desirability, Viability Scorecard

Sash Barige

Mar/01/2022