Leveraging Data as an Asset

A Holistic Approach to Data Governance

“Data Governance” often refers to the management of structured data in databases, while “Content Management” is viewed as a separate field, governing documents, spreadsheets, audio files, email and other unstructured data. But data is data, regardless of structure or lack thereof. Personally identifiable information resides in both structured and unstructured data. Both types of data can be leveraged by advanced analytics. While historically distinct, these two domains have converged into a unified Data Governance addressing data in databases and data in electronic documents and files. We work with clients to implement a holistic Data Governance capability addressing structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.

Data Governance should address both structured data in databases, and unstructured data in documents, spreadsheets, audio files, and other formats.

 

For many enterprises, governing this data is a new organizational capability, requiring new roles and organizations, policies, processes, skills, and metrics. While governance software is important, it is often not the most important factor for success. Implementing an enterprise Data Governance capability requires addressing strategy, people, processes, technology, policies, and metrics.

GDPR, CCPA, & HIPAA Compliance

Often, the compelling event that prompts enterprises to start a Data Governance program is the need to comply with data privacy regulations. Compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA isn’t optional, so the business case is easy. But regulatory compliance doesn’t provide a competitive advantage. It’s just table stakes.

Grow Your Business

 
 
 

Comply

Reduce risk of regulatory and legal sanctions.

 
 

Optimize

Optimize delivery and payment for current products to existing customers on-time, as promised.

 

Extend

Market and sell new products to new and existing customers.

Transform

Create new business models.

 

Increase Business Value

Data Governance enables enterprises to more effectively leverage their data to improve operational performance, grow revenue, identify new market opportunities, and create new business models. The cost to acquire, process, store, protect, and distribute data is a sunk cost already being incurred. Data Governance is an incremental investment to ensure that the value of the data that already exists is maximized. Data is an asset, and it must be organized, described, protected, and continuously cleansed to fully realize its value.

 

Enterprises have dedicated staff to manage their financial, real estate, capital, and other assets. The data asset is no different.

Maximizing the value of the data asset takes executive sponsorship and trained staff. We work with our clients to plan for, and implement, the ability to manage your data as an asset.