Convincing Stakeholders Data Governance Is Essential

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Copyright © 2021 Robert S. Seiner – KIK Consulting & Educational Services / TDAN.com
Non-Invasive Data Governance™ is a trademark of Robert S. Seiner & KIK Consulting
#RWDG @RSeiner
Real-World Data Governance
Convincing Stakeholders Data Governance is Essential
Monthly Webinar Series Hosted by DATAVERSITY
Robert S. Seiner – KIK Consulting / TDAN.com
October 21, 2021 – 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET

#RWDG @RSeiner
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Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
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Introduction

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• In the webinar, I will share
– Identifying the Stakeholders That Must be Convinced
– The Three Questions That Must be Asked of the Stakeholders
– What Answers You Should Expect to Receive
– The Answers That May Surprise You
– Using the Answers to Convince Stakeholders That Data Governance is Necessary
Abstract

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• Define Stakeholder
• Why Stakeholders Must Be Convinced
• Stakeholders at the Executive Level
• Stakeholders at the Strategic Level
• Stakeholders at the Tactical and Operational Level
• Stakeholders at the Support Level
Identifying the Stakeholders That Must be Convinced

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– A stakeholder is anybody who can affect or is affected by an organization, strategy or project.
– They can be internal or external and they can be at senior or junior levels.
stakeholdermap.com

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– Deciding on the definition that you will use for identifying your Stakeholders is an important
choice that will drive your entire Stakeholder Management Strategy.
stakeholdermap.com

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– People that are accountable for Data Governance and the data of the organization.
– People that are the Executive Sponsors of Data Governance.
– People that are going to be asked to become involved.
– People that will see direct impact of the results of Data Governance.
– People that will ask “what’s in it for me?”.
– People outside the organization who are reliant on good data.
– People that define, produce, and use data.

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– Number One Best Practice
– 100% of KIK Consulting Clients
– Best Practice Criteria:
• Practical and Doable
• Data Governance will be at risk if the best practice is not achieved.
– Senior Leadership support, sponsor, and understand the practice of Data Governance and the
actions of the Data Governance Team.

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– Because at some point, they are going to be involved.
– If they do not see the value, they are not going to understand:
• What is in it for them.
• How it is directly going to impact them.
• How much of their time is going to be required.
• How much time it is going to take.
– Assure the Stakeholders that communications will be plentiful and delivered often.

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• Stakeholders at the Executive Level
– Board of Directors
– C-Levels
– Sponsors
– Steering Committee
– Top Level of the KIK Operating Model

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• Stakeholders at the Strategic Level
– Business Management Representation
– Data Governance Council
– Advisory Group
– Senior Data “Owners” / “Stewards”

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• Stakeholders at the Tactical and Operational Level
– Data Subject Matter Experts
– Data Domain Stewards
– Data Steward Coordinators
– Data Domain Owners
– Operational Data Stewards

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• Stakeholders at the Support Level
– Data Governance Administrator
– Data Governance Working Teams
– Data Governance Partners
• IT / Data Management
• Information Security
• Project Management
• Legal / Audit
• Corporate Communications
• Human Resources

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• What can’t you do, that you need to do, because you don’t have the (trust in) data to do it?
• What would you do, or could you do, if you had the (trust in) data to do it?
• What is the relationship between these “cannot do-s” and “would do-s” and data governance?
The Three Questions That Must be Asked of the Stakeholders

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• What Can’t You Do?
– People that use data as part of their job are typically glad to share their woes associated with the hoops
they must jump through to get the data they need the way they need it to perform their job function.
– These hoops often involve:
• figuring out what data exists
• gaining a solid understanding of that data
• getting access to the data
• understanding the rules associated with using that data
• combining that data with other data
– My description minimizes the effort that these people go through.

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– Often, the data consumers don’t have an inventory of the data available to them.
– The consumers don’t have:
• Business glossaries
• Data dictionaries
• Data catalogs
– They don’t immediately know:
• Who to reach out to to request access to the data
• Rules associated with the data

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– If you ask data consumers, casual data users, and data scientists what causes delays and problems
completing their normal job, you can expect answers shared.
– At that point, you will begin to understand the often-mentioned 80/20 rule.
– And these problems assume that the data they need, or that will really help them in their job, is even
available to them in the first place.
– Often, the data is not available or the confidence that they have in the data is so low that they would not
trust the data resources even if they were available.
– This is a sorry state and something that can and should be addressed in an environment where the data
is governed.

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• What Would You Do?
– This hypothetical question can lead data consumers and data scientists to consider applying innovation
and new ways of thinking (and certainly new ways to analyze the data and improved ways to make better
decisions).
– If you ask this question, you can expect answers like:
• model the data to produce predictive and improved forecasting analytics
• combine data in ways that were never possible when less data and information about the data was
available
• enable improved machine learning capabilities, and
• recognize patterns in the data that lead to more efficient and effective customer interaction,
improved sales, risk assessments and fraud detection.

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• What Would You Do?
– This question leads to improved ways of making the organization data-centric, data-enabled, data savvy.
– If the data consumers are not asked what they would do if they had the data to do it, you may never
learn of all the areas where you can improve as an organization.
– Blame should not be cast; opportunities for improvement have been brought to light.
– And then the question becomes…what are you going to do about it?

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• What Do These Questions Have to Do With Data Governance?
– The relationship between the two questions and Data Governance can take many forms.
– Organizations deliver Data Governance programs with the intention of
• improving access to data
• improving understanding of data
• improving the knowledge of the data that is available and the understanding of that data
• improving the knowledge of rules associated with protecting, sharing, and gaining value from data,
and much more.

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• What Do These Questions Have to Do With Data Governance?
– “The data and metadata will not govern themselves.”
– It takes a resolute effort, effective management, capacity, resources, time, and money to put an effective
Data Governance program in place and to sustain it for an extended period.
– The relationship between the question “What can’t you do” and “What would you do” and the results of
having a governed data environment, highlights opportunities that can be leveraged to convince
stakeholders why it is necessary to put a formal Data Governance program in place.
– The relationship and the answers to the above questions may demonstrate some of the best reasons to
put an effective Data Governance program in place.

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• Complaints About the Present Situation
• Responses to the Standard Questions
• Answers That Lead to People Asking Their Own Standard Questions
What Answers You Should Expect to Receive

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• Complaints About the Present Situation
– Access to Data
– Silos of Data
– Understanding of Data
– Lack of Accountability for Data
– Lack of Data / Too Much Data
– Anticipate These Answers and Be Prepared to Respond

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• Responses to the Standard Questions
– Who?
– What?
– Why?
– Where?
– When?

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• Answers That Lead to People Asking Their Own Standard Questions
– Who?
– What?
– Why?
– Where?
– When?

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• People need the ability to:
– Model the data to produce predictive and improved forecasting analytics.
– Combine data in ways that were never possible when less data and information about the data
was available.
– Enable improved machine learning capabilities, and …
– Recognize patterns in the data that lead to more efficient and effective customer interaction,
improved sales, risk assessments and fraud detection.

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• Nothing to See Here
• Flood Gates Open
• Passionate Responses
• Offers to Share the Message
The Answers That May Surprise You

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• Nothing to See Here
– “No problems with the data we use.”
– “We know where to find the data we use.”
– “We understand and have confidence in the data we use.”
– “We spend minimal time wrangling the data we use.”
– “We know how the data we use is classified and know how to handle sensitive data.”
– “Improvement in data management and governance are not necessary.”

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• Flood Gates Open
– “Where should I start.”
– “We have many data challenges.”
– “We need a way to formally record our data challenges.”
– “There are differences between issues and opportunities.”
– “We have told people about our challenges with no results.”

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• Passionate Responses
– “Our data stinks and we need to immediately start addressing the challenges.”
– “I want to play a role in addressing the data challenges.”
– “I keep my own list of data challenges but don’t really share them with anybody.”
– “We should form a data task team.”
– “Formal governance across the organization is lacking and we must address this.”
– “People need to be held accountable for how they manage the data.”

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• Offers to Share the Message
– “I want to be involved in the solution.”
– “I should be involved in all discussions focused on _____________ data.”
– “Our Data Governance program must focus on the stewards of the data.”
– “Everybody is a data steward. Get over it!”

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• Improve Your Messaging
• Answer the Three Questions
• Demonstrate Value
Using the Answers to Convince Stakeholders That Data Governance is Necessary

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• Improve Your Messaging
– Involve people that are skilled at getting the messaging right.
– Develop a Data Governance Communication Plan
– Communicate through the 3 Os – Orientation, Onboarding, Ongoing
– Use tools available to you in your organization.
– Get your improved message to the “right” audience.

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• Answer the Three Questions
– What can’t you do?
– What would you do?
– How does Data Governance address questions 1 & 2?

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• Demonstrate Value
– Reach for low-hanging fruit.
– Develop repeatable artifacts and processes.
– Communicate effectively to the appropriate people.

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• In the webinar, I shared
– Identifying the Stakeholders That Must be Convinced
– The Three Questions That Must be Asked of the Stakeholders
– What Answers You Should Expect to Receive
– The Answers That May Surprise You
– Using the Answers to Convince Stakeholders That Data Governance is Necessary
Summary

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Questions & Answers

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Contact Information
• Robert S. Seiner
KIK Consulting & Educational Services – KIKconsulting.com
The Data Administration Newsletter – TDAN.com
rseiner@tdan.com @RSeiner

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