Integrating the Dataverse

  As part of my routine I meditate on the week.  I make an effort to step back from the hurried pace of life to see the bigger picture.  This week we have gotten into the details of data governance strategies and what you will need to make that a success.   Did you know that every day when we leave work we execute on data as well?  We use nutrition facts to judge if a food is good for us, listened to that friend who swears the moon is made out of cheese, or used information boards at the air port to make sure we stay on time.  Have you ever stopped to wonder if the information you are looking at is right?  In most cases we take what we see at face value and make decisions without even checking what we are looking at.  How has that worked out for you?  What were the consequences if you acted on misinformation?   The sad fact is that misinformation is around us in every direction.  It is up to us as an individual to weed it ...

We are progressing in our data governance by building out the framework.  We are moving data into areas that the business can use it but how do we know they should use it?  More importantly how do they know that they CAN use it? So much of what we do relies on trust.  The business trust that we will understand what they need so that we can deliver reliable data.  The first time they find an issue that trust is broken.  Part of our framework builds out data validation processes but how do we put that into practice? One of the first things we will need to do is check ourselves. Y our data governance framework can be used to create natural data quality checkpoints. Is your data pipeline ready to migrate? Did you check it? When your process captured the requirements did you ask who in the business would validate the work? Your processes are the first place to start checking your data. Some specific examples of how you can use your data governance framework to cr...

The next step in our data governance journey will be setting up the data governance framework. In some ways this is just like the frame that your home is built around. In a home the frame lays out the exterior and interior walls, provides a place for electrical and network wiring, a place for insulation, and more importantly exterior and interior wall coverings like brick and sheetrock. The data governance framework works in the same way. By using principles and guidelines it provides structure around your data so that you can implement things like data cleansing rules, roles around data, and the tools that you allow the business to use. The end goal is to make sure that your data is being used in a consistent and compliant way so that everyone using it gets the same answers. You can see why this is a task that is easier said than done. Your data governance framework should include the following components: Data governance roles and responsibilities : This section should de...

Data governance is a subject that most people would rather let someone else cover.  It is hard to do, hard to maintain, and hard to communicate with the business.  The business just expects the data to be right, it does not want to know what goes on behind the curtains.  Today we pull back the curtains to expose some of the things you will need to consider when you make it to this stop on your data strategy roadmap. First lest define what data governance is.  In a nutshell data governance is a set of business rules and processes that are supplemented with technology to achieve standardized data that can be checked and verified.  A key part of data governance is that the results can be repeated and can be validated by external sources if need be.  Data governance is a tool that can be used when you are in a heavily audited industry like banking to show the path that your data has taken and the reasons for the changes.  It will also naturally lead you do...

We have spent the last month going into significant detail showing you why you need a data strategy and how to document your strategy with a roadmap.  For the next few weeks we will start using that roadmap to move your organization towards your business objectives. Our first stop will be your data governance plan.  Why is this the first place to stop?  To be honest it may not be.  There is a lot of overlap with future steps including picking the correct software, team members, and third party vendors that to help you implement the entire strategy so it does make sense to have the data governance process underway as early as possible.  The truth may not be that practical though.  Not every organization is ready to push through a true data governance plan.  And yes this will be a push.  No organization likes it when someone tells them they are doing something wrong especially if that someone is a teammate.  That is what data governance does so...

This entire week we have been talking about tools that we can use to implement our data strategy. We spent a good bit of time reviewing data roadmaps, how to find help implementing them, and what to do to keep morale high.  Like Fridays in the past today we are looking inward.  How does all of this help me in my personal life? If we take away all of the "business" stuff from a data strategy what do we end up with?  A plan to meet a goal.  In relation to work this goal has to do with moving the organization forward in some direction.  For us that goal provides benefit to ourselves and our families.  So if the data strategy is a plan for us to achieve a personal goal how do we use these tools in our personal lives? Build the strategy .  The obvious first step is going to be laying out the strategy.  And where do we start with that?  We need to know what the goal is.  Do you want to move your family into your first home?  Are you ready...

One last tool you will need to have ready to use when you implement your data strategy is not really a tool. It is more of a framework that you will need to build around you and your team. As you lead your team you have to acknowledge that there will be set backs in time lines or even in tasks. You have to build up a framework using process to support your team and combat the mental fatigue that discouragement creates. So how does a leader show to the team that their feelings are known, understood, and cared for? First you have to acknowledge that discouragement is going to be a part of this process. To show this you have to put processes in place to combat it from the start. What is important here is that your team knows that you care and the only way that they know that is if you show them that. Start with these five tips: Break tasks down into smaller parts . When faced with a large and complex task, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. To avoid discouragement, break the task do...