Data Governance Best Practices
Data governance is increasingly important as data volumes, sources, and users increase for organizations large and small. Data governance best practices have become more important than ever in the age of big data. Below are a few essential steps on the road to a successful data governance strategy.
Start small and grow: Take advantage of existing opportunities to improve data management and don't try to boil the ocean from day one. Successful data governance projects require change management within the organization so take smaller steps at first to help stakeholders become more comfortable with changes and to also test processes and internal communications.
Identify all your data domains and define controls: This is a big step -- corralling all the data sets and access points to start thinking about systemic data control points. This step includes mapping out a soup-to-nuts plan to define automated workflow processes, approval thresholds, reviews, issue resolution, and a whole lot more.
Measure progress: Since maintaining data governance best practices is an ongoing process, you'll need to define, report, and measure against your organization's data management goals on a regular basis. Metrics will naturally vary from business to business depending on size, data scope and sources, and how data is disseminated both inside the org and potentially outside. However, a few common metrics to consider include rate of adoption, number of data issues/events, and overall cost of the program, from data rectification to issue resolution.
Create a recurring, repeatable process: To use a cliche, data governance best practices are a journey, not a destination. This is not a one-and done project. As data volumes grow, new data streams emerge, and new access points emerge, you'll need a policy for periodic reviews of your data governance structure -- essentially governance of the data governance process.
Snowflake and Data Governance Best Practices
Snowflake's Data Cloud and its broad ecosystem of partners, including data governance experts Talend, provides the perfect foundation for improved data governance. To learn more about data governance in the cloud, download the eBook "Five Steps to Successful Data Governance."