Understanding Data Governance: An Introductory Guide

Data management has changed fundamentally over the past several decades. There is now broad agreement that data drives business and society. Within an organization, however, views often differ sharply on who governs that data and what data governance actually includes.

A shared understanding is the basis of every data governance initiative. As the number of data sources and the volume of data increase, organizations need to manage rights, duties, and responsibilities deliberately.

Data governance is not solely a technology matter. People must take responsibility for their organization's data and information assets. Introducing a software product is not enough. Ineffective organizational structures need to be reviewed, new roles and accountabilities defined, and data treated as a corporate asset.

There is no universally accepted definition. The original guide was therefore designed to provide a holistic overview of the topic and its building blocks, establishing a common point of departure.

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