The burgeoning reliance on data in business, operational, and organizational management has made Data Governance more vital than ever before. Changing regulatory issues and auditing makes it mandatory for organizations to remain compliant with Data Governance standards.
One of the most viable means of obtaining the necessary expertise to successfully govern data is to earn certification in this area. In addition to providing individuals with the knowledge and skill sets to perform a host of governance functions related to stewardship, records management, and regulatory compliance, benefits of governance certification include:
- Extending one’s professional network for career opportunities
- Increasing the potential for higher salaries, benefits, and job authority
- Improving the chances for promotions and additional job authority
- Keeping abreast of the latest trends and technologies in this subject
- Formally documenting one’s expertise in governance and extending such credibility to one’s organization and industry.
Governance certification principally comes from three different sources: professional organizations, traditional academia, and non-traditional academia. Additional opportunities for learning principles of governance are provided by on-site training.
Professional Organizations
Governance certifications from professional organizations provide a tangible indicator of a professional’s competence and commitment to Data Governance. Oftentimes, professional organizations have an international or nationwide constituency which provides excellent opportunities for networking. Earning certification from such groups enables individuals to enroll in their respective societies. This grants them access to a host of other resources, such as those pertaining to conferences, professional development, germane literature, news and analysis, and technology updates.
Certification requirements generally include achieving minimum levels of education (usually either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree with a major or minor in a related field such as information systems), work experience in a relevant field, and passing a single or multiple examinations. Those who do not earn a successful score on an exam can usually retake it after an allotted time period. Most organizations also have a code of ethics to which professionals must adhere. It is not unusual for professional organizations to offer certifications in conjunction with other such entities.
Certification from professional entities typically lasts for a finite time period, after which time individuals will need to recertify. Recertification requirements usually involve the successful completion of continuing education units (which are available either online or via taking classes and attending seminars) and possibly passing more examinations.
Certification examinations may require a fee of several hundred dollars; organizations frequently provide preparation materials such as study guides for specific tests.
Some of the many available professional organizations offering certification for Data Governance include:
- ARMA International: Arma International is a non-profit agency established in 1955 with nearly 30,000 members around the world. In addition to its Information Governance Professional and Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT credentials, it also offers certification in various areas of privacy, auditing, e-discovery and archiving with partnerships with the Institute of Internal Auditors, the International Association for Privacy Professionals, and others.
- Data Management Association International (DAMA): DAMA’s principle governance certification, which is offered in conjunction with the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP), is the Data Governance and Stewardship Professional designation. Those passing the three exams required for this credential with a score better than 50 percent are certified at the practitioner level; those passing with better than 70 percent are certified at the mastery level.
- Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA): ISACA issues the Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT designation, which has strict work experience requirements. Although candidates can sit for the exam for this credential before fulfilling experience requirements, certification will not be presented until those requirements are met.
Non-Traditional Academia
There are several options for non-traditional scholarship in Data Governance, not all of which result in a formal certification. Non-traditional options include eLearning, as well as training offered by various vendors and governance organizations. The main advantage of pursuing Data Governance training from these sources is the degree of specificity involved, which is difficult for academic and professional organizations to match. Certain classes (which are usually Internet based) pertain to various industries, countries, products, data types, and facets of data. Some options are specifically designed for individuals while others are for organizations or specific departments. Stringent requirements for formal education, work experience, and continuing education do not apply for most of these resources. Courses generally last less than six hours. Organizations providing this form of certification and training include:
- e-LearningCurve: eLearning Curve is one of the few nontraditional sources of Data Governance training that does offer certification in the form of the Certified Information Management Professional and Certified Data Steward credentials. Candidates have to complete at least five courses and their subsequent examinations to earn designations – those who pass eight courses and eight examinations at an average of 75 percent or better and have five years of information management experience can earn the CIMP Ex and CDSEx marks. Recertification requirements include any combination of lecturing, presenting, publishing, and enrolling in classes and seminars about relevant topics. In addition to offering highly specific courses pertaining to governance and stewardship fundamentals, governance for business leaders, aspects of data quality and more; professionals can take individual courses for non-certification purposes.
- SAP: SAP is an example of just one of the many vendors that offers governance training based on its products. It offers various courses related to Master Data Governance, risk and compliance, and information stewardship either in classrooms or via distance learning.
- The Data Governance Institute: This organization specializes in on-site training tailored to the specific needs of businesses. Sessions may last anywhere from a day to a week and can be focused on stakeholders and executives or enterprise-wide applications. Depending on which approach an organization favors, topics covered include governance metrics, steward responsibilities and roles, aligning governance with compliance, security and privacy, and others.
Traditional Academia
A limited number of postsecondary institutions offer Data Governance certification. Programs can last from a matter of weeks to multiple years, the latter of which may cost several thousand dollars to complete. Oftentimes, these programs are in accordance with standards set by professional agencies such as ISACA and tend to prioritize elements of security and risk compliance.
These programs typically take place at the graduate level and require a bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average in a field related to information systems. Those with degrees in other subjects may still gain entry while taking basic courses in information systems. Some programs have requirements for work experience which can be substituted for academic requirements; other programs will accept vendor or professional certification for entrance requirements.
- Walsh College: Walsh offers students the Compliance, Governance and Audit designation, which can be completed in as few as 5 semesters or take as many as 10 semesters to finish. Classes are stratified as both ‘required’ or ‘foundation’ courses, and cover subjects such as compliance and auditing tools, governance planning, risk assessment, and more.
- Eastern Michigan: Eastern Michigan issues the Graduate Certificate in Information Technology Governance, the curriculum of which is conducted in alignment with standards of numerous professional organizations. Courses focus on aspects of governance processes, security identity management, risk assessment and others. Students can earn certification in 15 credit hours.
- New York University: NYU offers the Graduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management, an 18 credit, six course program that can be finished in two semesters. Students will learn facets of governance, auditing, confidentiality, data availability, as well as ways to lessen risk and to prevent it.
All in All
These avenues for certification and training in Data Governance provide readily accessible means to get a grasp on the latest technologies and methodologies relevant to this field. As organizations continue to retain and apply data to their daily processes, formalizing standards and accountability for who has access to the data and how will become increasingly important. These options for certification and Data Governance training can help individuals do just that.