Recently, we launched our newest e-book, The Data Quality eBook. We ran an excerpt from that book last week. But did you know we have another e-book out there? Earlier this year, we published The Data Governance eBook to rousing success. If you haven't had a chance to download and read this book by Kimberly Nevala and Stephen Putman, don't worry—it's still available online.

Here's a description:

When the fictitious business team at the SpectraDynamo corporation
launches a new data governance initiative, the trials and tribulations
begin. The Data Governance eBook, authored by the experts at Baseline
Consulting, is an entertaining business parable with a message aimed at
helping you launch data governance the right way.
This bold new look at data governance is more than just a cautionary
tale. It's what Baseline partner Jill Dyché calls "a prescription for
getting it right." The Data Governance eBook includes all the nuts and
bolts necessary to transcend the requisite decision-by-committee and
role confusion so endemic to companies’ information management efforts.

Here's a brief excerpt that showcases what you'll find in our first e-book:

The moral of the story: data governance can be tough. By definition, innovation is disruptive and antithetical to established paradigms. Applying rigor in the form of governance and oversight to information is no exception to this rule. Mix the laundry list of competing information needs and issues in the average enterprise with the inevitable confusion regarding ‘what does it mean’ and the data governance proposition quickly becomes overwhelming. The multitude of data governance definitions and methodologies parlayed by both industry analysts and vendors—is it: data quality? information policy? a dashboard? a council?—certainly doesn’t help.

The fact is: there is no standard playbook for data governance. The structure of your program is dependent on the specific problems governance needs to address and the organization’s incumbent organization and culture.   Some companies—like SpectroDynamo—find a bottom-up approach centered around core data management functions provides the greatest initial leverage. Organizations that are more hierarchical or consensus driven in nature may require formal enlistment of executive sponsorship and deliberate assignment of decision rights for governance to take root. And yes, you may start somewhere in the middle...

What is consistent? The fundamental roles and responsibilities found in functioning data governance programs. In this section, we define those core functions: executive sponsorship, data governance (policy making and decision rights), data management and data stewardship. These functions align with and support everything from strategy alignment and organizational buy-in to tactical enablement and operations.

When evaluating these capabilities, remember the single most important success factor for entrenching data governance as a core operating principle: continuous improvement. Rather than boiling the ocean, identify key business pain points and the core capabilities required to address them. Prioritize and pick a pilot project. Finally, prototype data governance-related processes and don’t be afraid to refine them as your capabilities and reach grow.

Interested in knowing more? Download The Data Governance eBook today!