by Angela Guess
Gwen Thomas of the Data Governance Institute recently commented on the need for Big G data governance. Referring to a recent discussion she had partaken in, Thomas notes, “The topic veered toward the need for Data Governance. Person 1 suggested the need for a rule that would, in effect, force respect by requiring projects that impacted reference data to gain approval for their approach from a data-centric governance board. Person 2 concurred, adding ‘Without Data Governance you have no controls in place. Without controls you’ve lost.’ This is such a common situation. Violent agreement for the need for governance, but not the meaning. Person 1 is looking at POLICIES, while Person 2 is embracing the need to enforce policies. Both are important, but any stakeholder who is just grasping the idea of making data-centric decisions rather than application-centric ones might be confused.”
Thomas continues, “At the Data Governance Institute, we’ve started using the term ‘Big G’ Governance to describe the policies, mandates, rulings, and rules of engagement that come from on high (wherever that is). An example is the rule that Person 1 suggests: Any project with a linkage to reference data is reviewed by a Board for a determination of whether the project is introducing data-related risk. Another such ‘Big G’ Governance ruling might be that controlled reference data sets can be duplicated ONLY IF certain criteria are addressed that would ensure that the data stays in sync. Of course, nobody wants bureaucracy, and ‘Big G’ Governance never exists for its own sake. I had to agree with Person 2 in the discussion that data-related controls are what we’re ultimately aiming for. Controls need to be embedded in projects, processes, data flows, applications, and information management practices to ensure that the data and the people who touch it adhere to policies, standards, rulings, and rules of engagement. Here, down in the trenches, our objective is to institute a series of ‘little g’ governance control points.”
photo credit: DaraKero_F
