Enable the Organization with Data
For too long, data governance has been about preventing people from doing things with data. Yes, restrictions and controls over data are absolutely necessary and should be part of every organization’s information architecture. These controls are necessary to protect the privacy of individuals and comply with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, CPRA and others. They are also necessary to comply with internal policies and protect the intellectual property of an organization. However, these objectives can be met without becoming so burdensome that they hinder the organization’s ability to use its data effectively.
Modern practices and tools change the data governance equation within an organization from one of prevention to one of enablement, and this is largely due to the emerging role of data catalogs in the governance process. As the name implies, a data catalog is a listing or inventory of all the data available for individuals to use in operational and analytical processes. A well-designed catalog provides context about the data, such as where the data originated, when it was last updated, and how it can and should be used. And when the data catalog is searchable, it helps organizations know what data they have and makes it easier to find the right information. Finally, a data catalog can also serve as a repository for governance policies associated with the data making the governance processes more seamless and automated. The catalog not only captures governance objectives and policies, but facilitates gaining approvals and measuring compliance.