The Best Architecture has a Solid Foundation
The world has become enamored with data. Terms like Business Intelligence, Big Data, and Predictive Analytics line the pages of business books and trade magazines, while vendor emails and blogs tout the tantalizing business benefits of data use cases. Given these benefits it can be tempting to jump right into deploying a Business Intelligence application or a Hadoop cluster, but like any good architecture data analysis projects must begin with a solid foundation. That foundation is Data Governance.
Data is an Asset
Most organizations are very particular about protecting the value of assets like real estate, receivables, and cash, and they have controls in place governing the use of those assets. One of the pillars of a good Data Governance plan is recognizing that data is an asset and treating it as such.
To understand this, simply think of what would happen to your organization if your customer list, transaction history, and other data suddenly disappeared tomorrow. Could you continue to operate?
While the complete disappearance of data is easily recognized as a business disaster, many companies operate without knowing for sure their data is accurate, complete, and protected. This state of affairs has its own effect on the business, and while management can’t quantify that effect in most cases it’s a very real threat to profitability and efficiency.
Questions Data Governance Answers
- Are you comfortable that the data across your organiation is accurate?
- Do people have access to the data they need to do their job? Do they have access to too much data?
- Do you have a process for ensuring the quality of the data that management uses?
- How do you secure sensitive company data like YTD financials?
- If you were required by regulators or a court to produce certain data, could you? Can you prove their accuracy?
Ways We Can Help
Data Governance Assessment: Understand where your organization stands on issues of Data Governance, and get recommendations to progress to the next level.
Governance Coaching: Need help implementing a Data Governance program? We’ll assist your Governance Council and Stewards to establish the principles, policies, and standards necessary for success.
Why Brilliant Data?
Data Governance is a cultural change, and cultural changes can be the hardest to implement effectively. We understand the challenges and can work with management to design a program that delivers the best result with the least disruption to existing workflows.