03/09/2024

The Data Governance Council acts as the strategic steering committee for all data-related initiatives. It’s responsible for setting the vision, objectives, and key policies for data management across the organization.

This body ensures alignment between data strategies and business objectives, addressing cross-functional needs and mitigating risks associated with data handling and privacy.

The Data Governance Council provides direction and approval for initiatives proposed by Data Owners and monitored by Data Stewards. It also oversees the implementation of technical solutions by Technical Custodians and ensures compliance with data security and privacy standards.

With senior representatives from various departments, the council facilitates a holistic approach to data governance — which ensures initiatives have broad support and are aligned with overall business strategies.

A frequent obstacle is reaching a unanimous agreement among members who have differing goals and viewpoints. It’s a delicate process to balance various interests and make sure the data strategies are equitable, not disproportionately benefiting any single business division.

The critical step in establishing effective data governance is the designation of Data Governance (DG) officers — or, within larger, more intricate organizations, the formation of a DG Management team. This team usually includes personnel responsible for specific scopes of activity:

• Data Governance Officers
  Serve as the point of contact for data governance in their designated areas. Their role includes identifying and addressing data-related issues, implementing governance policies, and ensuring data quality and compliance. DG officers work closely with data users and IT staff to harmonize data governance with daily operations.
• Data Governance Managers
  Tasked with managing specific areas of data governance, these managers focus on operationalizing data governance strategies within their scope. They develop and enforce data standards, guidelines, and procedures, collaborating with data stewards and technical teams to ensure effective data management and compliance.
• Chief Data Governance Manager
  Leads the DG management team, setting the strategic direction for data governance within the organization. This individual is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of data policies, ensuring they align with business objectives. They’re also responsible for the communication among team members and stakeholders, driving the governance agenda forward.

In most cases, we advocate for integrating DG roles into existing staff responsibilities. This approach acknowledges the DG tasks some employees are already performing informally, and integrates these responsibilities formally into their role descriptions.

Data Owners are senior individuals who have been given responsibility over specific data segments. They define the data’s purpose, its usage, access rights, and retention policies, directly impacting data quality and integrity.

These professionals play a critical role in ensuring that data is used effectively and responsibly. Ensuring data quality and compliance while meeting the operational needs of the organization can be challenging, especially in dynamic environments where data requirements frequently change.

This is precisely why it’s important to align data management with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Data Owners work closely with Data Stewards to manage and implement policies and with Technical Custodians to ensure that the data architecture supports the business requirements. They must also align their decisions with the strategic direction set by the Data Governance Council.

Data Stewards are the guardians of data quality, tasked with operational data management — including profiling, validation, and cleansing. They address data issues, maintain metadata, and ensure that data governance policies are implemented correctly at the operational level.

Data Stewards often face challenges in balancing the need for accessible, high-quality data with the constraints of data privacy and security requirements. Their work is vital for maintaining high data quality and usability, directly affecting the organization’s ability to make informed decisions.

They act as liaisons between Data Owners and Technical Custodians, translating business rules into technical specifications and ensuring that data practices align with governance policies.

Technical Custodians are responsible for the technical infrastructure that supports data management, from databases and data lakes to data governance tools. They implement the technical aspects of data quality rules, access controls, and other governance policies.

Keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology and integrating new data sources without compromising security or data quality poses a significant challenge. The expertise that Technical Custodians bring to the table is crucial for translating business needs into technical solutions, ensuring that the data architecture supports the organization’s strategic goals.

Technical Custodians collaborate closely with Data Stewards to understand and implement data governance policies technically. They also work with Data Owners to ensure that the infrastructure meets the specific needs of different data domains and aligns with the strategic oversight provided by the Data Governance Council.

Data Security and Privacy professionals are in charge of safeguarding data against unauthorized access, breaches, and leaks. They are tasked with developing and enforcing security protocols, conducting regular audits, and ensuring compliance with laws like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA.

Since data breaches can have monumental financial and reputational consequences, these roles are critical for maintaining trust and integrity in the organization’s data practices. Adapting to new regulations, preventing sophisticated cyber attacks, and educating employees about data security are their ongoing duties. Balancing the need for tight security measures with user accessibility and operational efficiency is also one of them.

Data Security and Privacy professionals must work closely with all roles to ensure that security measures do not impede data usability and that all governance policies are compliant with relevant laws. They provide guidance to Technical Custodians in implementing security technologies and work with Data Stewards and Data Owners to understand the sensitivity of data and appropriate access controls.

Data strategy is an intricate landscape, and the roles we discussed are the pillars of a successful framework. Each plays a pivotal role in ensuring data is managed effectively, securely, and in alignment with both organizational objectives and regulatory demands.

The journey towards robust data management and strategy execution is continuous and evolving. If your organization is on the path to refining its data strategy — or if you’re seeking guidance on how to better define and integrate these roles — Solvership can help.