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What’s our approach to Data Governance (and why is it different)?

When it comes to helping you get ahead with Data Governance, we like to do things a little differently.

We’ve had plenty of time (over 35 years in fact) to identify the patterns of success and failure with large and complex data initiatives, particularly Data Governance.

On paper, Data Governance can appear reasonably straightforward. 

There is no shortage of advice on the frameworks, committees, catalogues, glossaries, lineage, stewardship, tools, and policies considered the ‘must-have’ elements for Data Governance success.

But herein lies a problem. 

Whilst it’s tempting to roll all of these components into your ‘grand plan’ for Data Governance, we discovered that applying a stealth strategy is the most effective approach for achieving your Data Governance goals.

Because we’re a consultancy, of course, we had to give our ‘Data Governance by Stealth’ approach a catchy name.

We call it ‘The Lighthouse Concept‘.

Limit the early investment

Plan a modest level of investment, resisting the urge to build an ‘all-encompassing’ Data Governance program

Focus on value creation

Deliver a series of tactical ‘Lighthouse Projects’ that create tangible value for the business

Fly under the radar

Gradually establish your Data Governance program and enabling activity in ‘stealth mode’

Lock in the gains

Create the foundational cornerstones for Data Governance as each Lighthouse Project is delivered

Shining a Light for Executives to Follow

The Lighthouse Concept came from the realisation that senior stakeholders are increasingly wary of investing in new and ambitious data initiatives. 

(Let’s be honest, adding the term ‘governance’ doesn’t help much either).

While the average executive is unlikely to rave about the inner workings of a Data Governance program, what does motivate them is positive business outcomes. They want obstacles removed and goals reached.

However, this demand for results presents a problem.

Building things like data governance frameworks, glossaries, and stewardship councils requires considerable change and commitment. Hence, the traditional approach to Data Governance takes time to deliver on its promise, assuming it ever gets off the runway in the first place.

At Oakland, we prefer to kickstart Data Governance as a side-benefit of agile, results-focused data initiatives that address obstacles and objectives executives are already invested in.

Our results-first approach creates the less riskier (and faster) option for achieving your Data Governance goals.

Oakland ‘Lighthouse’ concept presents a compelling approach for incrementally executing on the Data Governance mission, without the inherent risks so often found within a large program of Data Governance change.

Dylan Jones, Editor of Data Quality Pro magazine