One of the biggest challenges with Data Governance is knowing where to begin

There's loads of information available on data governance, but much of it can be conflicting and overwhelming to sift through. That's what prompted me to make a training course specifically designed to combat information overload and give those tasks with delivering Data Governance for their organisation a clear simple view of what it is all about.

Through 21 years of experience in designing and implementing Data Governance frameworks, I've cultivated a practical approach that guides you through every step necessary to effectively create and deploy a Data Governance Framework tailored to your organisation's needs.

Lots of people ask me about the training so I decided to write this blog post to explain what happens at my training sessions in a little more detail.

What happens on Day 1?

The course spans two days and participants have the option to attend either or both days.

Day 1 is a structured training day where we focus on the Getting Started in Data Governance course, aimed at simplifying the process of designing and implementing a Data Governance Framework. We cover things like the relationship between Data Governance and Data Quality, the foundational elements of a Data Governance Framework and practical implementation strategies.

While Day 1 is structured, there are still ample opportunities for discussion. In fact, I find lots of really interesting topics come up in these sessions. For example, at the latest training session, we found ourselves discussing resistance to traditional data governance role titles, questioning “do they only exist to help us data governance practitioners make sense of our work environment?”

We agreed that the most important thing is that individuals know what their responsibilities are and that this may or may not directly align with their job titles.

An example of a Day 1 discussion: what to do first as a data governance practitioner

At every course I like to present the question of ‘What first?’ for discussion because it can be a confusing task for beginners in data governance and therefore one worth talking through. To begin with, I always suggest identifying roles and responsibilities at the outset – even if they need to be reassigned later on. It’s a foundational piece, promoting accountability and speeding up decision-making.

Next, I recommend the establishment of a Data Quality Issue Resolution Log. From my experience, it is important that, while some issues may lack clear solutions at the moment, we prioritise and track them for future resolution when resources and expertise become available.

Then we considered the massive challenge of selecting which data to prioritise. We talk about identifying the most critical data items; those crucial for legal or business reasons. Additionally, focusing on data items causing the greatest current challenges can be useful, as resolving these could potentially yield significant positive impacts.

We chat through all of this and much more on Day 1. In addition, everyone who joins us on Day 1 also gets a copy of the actual checklist that I use when helping clients design and implement Data Governance frameworks.

Day 2 and beyond

On Day 2, the focus is on addressing the actual challenges that participants either foresee or are currently grappling with. This comes in the form of a Data Governance Clinic which is a workshop format where you get the opportunity to share the challenges you are experiencing with your Data Governance initiative and get pragmatic solutions. You also get the opportunity to share knowledge, insight and network with others.

The Data Governance Clinic is all about turning theory into practical actions and all participants get the opportunity to ask detailed questions about implementing Data Governance in their organisation and receive advice on how to overcome the challenges they are facing.

Day 2 holds a special place for me as no two sessions are ever the same and it consistently keeps me on my toes, serving as a reminder of the creativity I've had to employ in overcoming obstacles throughout my career. I often share the sentiment that I made all the mistakes early in my professional journey so that others don't have to experience the same pitfalls!

Overall, I like to try and ensure my training sessions provide relevant, practical insights and strategies for effective data governance in today’s business landscape.

I really enjoy helping people become successful at Data Governance and if the course sounds like something you would find useful I would love to see you at the next session, be it online or in person. Click below to find out more about the next Getting Started in Data Governance training sessions.

And please feel free to get in contact if you have any questions about the training.

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