Overcome challenges implementing Data Governance

Implementing data governance policies and procedures can be challenging, but it is important to address these challenges in order to ensure the success of your data governance program. Here are some common challenges and tips for overcoming them:

• Lack of executive buy-in: Data governance is a strategic initiative, so it is important to get buy-in from senior leadership. Explain the benefits of data governance to executives and how it will support the organization's goals. Get executive sponsorship to make governance a priority across the organization. This provides authority and urgency.

• Resistance to change: Data governance often requires changes in the way people work. It is important to communicate the benefits of change and to provide training and support to employees. Involve stakeholders early and often to get buy-in. Address concerns by emphasizing how governance protects and enables them.

• Siloed data: Data is often siloed in different departments or systems. This can make it difficult to implement data governance policies and procedures across the organization. It is important to break down silos and to create a unified view of data.

• Lack of resources: Data governance can be a resource-intensive initiative. It is important to secure the necessary resources to implement and maintain your data governance program.

• Complex regulatory environment: Organizations must comply with a variety of data privacy and security regulations. This can make it difficult to develop and implement data governance policies and procedures. It is important to understand the applicable regulations and to develop data governance policies and procedures that align with those regulations.

• Start with a pilot. Focus on a few critical policies and a small group to demonstrate value before expanding.

• Align policies to business objectives. Tie them directly to revenue, efficiency, risk mitigation, etc. to show the business impact.

• Automate where possible. Technology like data catalogs, DQ tools, and access controls reduce manual governance burdens.

• Establish accountability. Have data owners responsible for applying and enforcing policies for specific data assets.

• Reward policy adherence. Recognize teams and individuals that follow governance to reinforce compliance.

• Make governance user-friendly. Simplify rules and provide job aids, training, and support to ease adoption.

• Monitor compliance proactively. Use technology and audits to catch violations early on and address them.

• Enforce consistently. Implement sanctions for violations universally regardless of role or politics to underscore importance.

• Communicate often. Share policy updates, tips, and real examples of governance adding value and mitigating risk.

Additional Tips

Overcoming the challenges of implementing data governance policies and procedures is essential for the success of your data governance program. With persistent communication, training, accountability, and demonstrated value, organizations can overcome resistance and make governance an integral part of operations.

​Here are some examples of how companies have overcome challenges implementing data governance policies and procedures:

• Google overcame the lack of executive buy-in challenge by establishing a data governance board that included senior executives from across the company. The board was responsible for setting the direction of the data governance program and for ensuring that it was aligned with the company's overall goals.

• Netflix overcame the resistance to change challenge by providing training and support to employees on the new data governance policies and procedures. The company also created a change management team that was responsible for helping employees to adopt the new policies and procedures.

• Walmart overcame the siloed data challenge by creating a data warehouse that centralized all of the company's data. This made it easier to implement data governance policies and procedures across the organization.

• Microsoft overcame the lack of resources challenge by investing in data governance technology and hiring data governance experts. This helped the company to implement and maintain its data governance program effectively.

• JPMorgan Chase overcame the complex regulatory environment challenge by hiring a team of data governance experts who were familiar with the applicable data privacy and security regulations. The team worked with the company's legal department to develop data governance policies and procedures that aligned with those regulations.

Sash Barige

Jan/17/2020

Photo Credit: Unsplash.com