Welcome to my Data Law School!

Episode 1  - Purr-fectly Explaining Data Governance

Welcome to the first episode of the Data Law School. It may or may not be the last!

Today we address the concept of Data Governance, and some cat problems. 

Introduction

At its core, the purpose of governance is to restrict system's behaviours options, making it sustainable and evolving in a suitable direction. 

It is as simple as that, and it doesn’t matter what the object of governance is. 

However, when it comes to data, the concept of Data Governance is often misunderstood. People confuse it with Data Management, Data Privacy, Data Quality and so on. 

Let’s cut the fluff. I’ll explain what Data Governance is with some feline assistance, replacing “Data” with “Cats”, and hopefully it will all make sense to you. 

A Cat Conundrum

Imagine a household that adores cats, just as organisations cherish their data. The first cat is a joy; everyone pitches in to care for it, ensuring it's fed, clean, and content. The decision is made to add more cats, thinking that more cats equal more happiness. 

However, things quickly get out of hand. Everyone has a different opinion regarding cats’ permission to get on furniture and who is supposed to look after them. 

It turns out:

• half of the family thinks cats are not allowed on the beds, 

• the other thinks that they are, providing that bed’s owner is in agreement
  
  

you ask your friends, and even more options pop up:

• cat’s are allowed on the bed but only on the cover, 

• or only when it is cold, 

• or only when the human feels like it. 

So many options, and any decision you make is bound to upset someone or result in more cleaning duties.

Your happiness degrades and so does the cats’: they are confused, grumpy, maybe even plotting a strike. Humans feel overwhelmed and threatened. 

Diagnosis

As we diagnose the situation, we see conflicting interests and a variety of proposals. But instead of achieving a happy resolution, the situation results in:

• Decisions not being made or being inconsistent.

• Uncertainty about what the "right" decision should be.

• Ambiguity regarding who has the authority to make these decisions.

• Confusion about who is responsible for each cat – the one they brought, the one they prefer, or all of them at once.
  
  

Why does this happen? The missing element is Governance, or in this case, Cat Governance.

The Cat Governance function

To rectify this situation efficiently, we need a governance framework applied to our feline companions.

A function that efficiently restricts their behaviours to those being beneficial to the system, i.e. the family. 

The following components are defined and are essential to this function:

• Cat Governance framework: establishing who has the authority to decide about what cat and various aspects of their lives

Ex: whoever brought the cat decides how to care about them, but only the homeowner decides where they are allowed.

• Policies: establishing rules to be followed 

Ex: Cats are only allowed in places decided by the homeowner. 

• Enforcement through Clear Processes and Accountability Systems:
  
  

Ex: Unauthorised areas will be inspected daily by the homeowner, and cats' assigned caretakers will be held responsible for any infringements.

• Setting standards of what good looks like.
  
  

Ex: A report about cat’s behaviour should be submitted daily to the homeowner if a form of written note by 8pm with appropriate paw stamp. 

We just described the main components of Governance: policies, processes, standards and accountability. 

Data Governance

Now, let's replace "cats" with "data" and apply the same concept. Data Governance is the function that regulates people's behaviour regarding data, selecting options that benefit the company and prevent harm.

Given the inherent conflicts of interest within any organisation, decisions about data are continually made. Data Governance always exists, whether intentionally and formally or not. 

It operates as a virtuous cycle of processes:

Decide → Enforce decisions → Monitor and control → Learn and Adjust, start again

Our role as Data Governance leaders is to make this process intentional and aligned with the company's strategy, ensuring that the data behaves in a way that benefits the organisation's well-being and evolution. In essence, Data Governance ensures that your data ecosystem remains purr-fectly in sync with your goals.

Hope this was helpful!