The Role of Data Governance in an Organization - Data Governance: Creating Value from Information Assets - page 7

DATA GOVERNANCE PROGRAM
A data governance program provides an opportunity of taking an enter-
prise-wide view rather than focusing on a particular department, involv-
ing business heads in planning, devising budgets that meet the needs of
the enterprise, and being aware of the powerful effect data and informa-
tion have on organizational competitiveness. Increasing awareness at the
executive level of the importance of managing data and information stra-
tegically is an integral part of increasing the recognized value of the data
governance program.
To begin a successful data governance program in an organization,
aligning the program with the business strategy is important. A multi-
year-phased data governance program should focus on critical business
scenarios rather than invest into the technology fostered by vendors sell-
ing compliance wares. From an assessment of the business use cases and
scenarios, a business case should be developed that draws a distinction
between strategic business and operational needs. The governance plan
should present an end-to-end view of both strategic business and opera-
tional needs and requirements with established priorities.
A data governance program requires significant investment from the
organization in terms of time and resources. However, these costs are
offset by the business value it delivers. The data governance solution
should be enterprise-wide and the enabling components should fit and
function within the strategic direction of the organization. With a defined
business case, clearly defined business drivers, and executive sponsorship,
an enterprise-wide data governance program can be successfully launched
to provide significant returns.
An enterprise data governance program impacts and touches upon the
organization, its processes, people, and enabling technologies comprised
of hardware and software. An assessment of the business use cases and
scenarios presents not only an understanding of the issues, but of the cur-
rent business context, the processes followed, the technologies employed,
and the interactions among people, groups, and departments. It pres-
ents an understanding of the organizational practices, challenges and
issues, and priorities and opportunities for data governance. Business
use cases and scenarios present a description of current processes and
practices, help identify improvement opportunities, and help identify