Data Management Tasks and Accountabilities

A recent survey conducted by our platform® revealed that a vast majority (81.89%) of participants either have implemented a Data Governance program or are planning to initiate one. This shift towards data governance is supported by industry experts, such as Bob Seiner, President and Principal of KIK Consulting and Educational Services.

Seiner's Operating Model of Roles and Responsibilities in Data Governance emphasizes the importance of clear accountability and standardized processes across the data lifecycle. The model, which aims to ensure ethical data handling, trustworthiness, and regulatory compliance, recommends an operating structure where key roles (executive sponsor, data owner, steward, governance council, custodian) have defined responsibilities that span across business and IT functions.

At the executive level, leadership in the C-suite at the organization's top provide overall sponsorship and support for data governance initiatives. They are the Executive Sponsor/Stewardship, responsible for the overall success and traction of Data Governance.

Data Owners, responsible for the data content, quality, and proper use within their domain, are crucial at the strategic level. They are typically represented by each business function and form a Data Governance Council, which establishes data policies.

Data Stewards, who manage and monitor data assets, ensuring adherence to governance policies and standards, also fall under the strategic level. They work closely with Data Owners to maintain the quality and integrity of the data.

The Data Governance Council/Committee, a cross-functional group that sets policies, standards, and resolves data issues, is another essential role at the strategic level.

Data Custodians/IT, who handle the technical environment for securing and maintaining data, are responsible for the operational level. They ensure the data is stored and managed securely and efficiently.

Seiner's model also identifies a tactical category, comprising Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) accountable for data across business units. These SMEs serve as facilitators for cross-business unit resolution of data definition, production, and usage issues.

Support members, who run the Data Governance program, are critical for getting Data Governance done. They may consist of a few people in a Data Governance Office or an administrator like a Chief Data Officer (CDO).

Seiner's approach also advocates for integrating governance roles and responsibilities in a way that aligns with business processes without disrupting them, thereby enabling better risk management, regulatory compliance (such as GDPR, CCPA), and ethical data usage.

In summary, Seiner’s model recommends an operating structure where clear roles (executive sponsor, data owner, steward, governance council, custodian) have defined responsibilities coordinating across business and IT functions to manage data ethics, data quality, and compliance effectively.

It's worth noting that not every company has the same resources or structures for Data Governance roles and responsibilities. Smaller organizations may need to customize the Operating Model of Roles and Responsibilities to suit their needs.

However, the benefits of adopting such a structure are clear. As of the survey, 54.63% of participants listed a lack of Data Governance as a major Data Management challenge. By implementing Seiner's model, companies can overcome these challenges and reap the benefits of effective data governance.

References: - Seiner on roles and benefits of governance roles and accountability[1][3] - The key to reaping the benefits of data governance, according to Seiner, is to know what a person does and needs as a data steward. - The Data Governance lead or manager role is essential, as they facilitate Data Governance Council meetings and teams toward resolving issues. They also report results to the strategic level. - Support members run the Data Governance program and are critical for getting Data Governance done. They may consist of a few people in a Data Governance Office or an administrator like a CDO. - The operational level, according to Seiner, includes all employees and data stewards who impact the organization's data. Their responsibilities include ensuring good data definitions, following rules, identifying regulatory issues, and communicating business requirements. - Seiner advises keeping data ownership with businesspeople and keeping consistent formatting when modifying the Operating Model of Roles and Responsibilities. He also suggests using the spacing of each level in his pyramid to indicate the status of direct decision-making with company data and keeping the colors consistent for each group. - As of the survey, 54.63% of participants listed a lack of Data Governance as a major Data Management challenge. - Jimm Johnson, the Data Governance manager at HireRight, identifies four additional SME functions: maintaining and sharing insider knowledge, matching Data Governance maintenance to business needs, applying Data Governance rules for Data Quality, and assisting with new initiatives and buy-in. - By initially activating existing roles instead of assigning them, Seiner believes that enterprises have an edge in influencing acceptance among workers. - Seiner recommended taking people who demonstrate existing activities governing data and acknowledging their contribution to Data Governance formally. - Not every company has the same resources or structures for Data Governance roles and responsibilities. Smaller organizations may need to customize the Operating Model of Roles and Responsibilities to suit their needs. - In Seiner's "Operating Model of Roles and Responsibilities," Data Governance roles span four tiers of expected deliverables and accountability: executive, strategic, tactical, and operational. - Partners, such as security, IT, project managers, regulatory and compliance teams, audit/legal, corporate communications, HR, and others, are part of a larger governance planning team where Data Governance is an aspect of their role and need support from a DGO or administrator.