Here's how you can persuade your boss to prioritize data governance within the organization.

To convince your manager to prioritize data governance, you should make a case considering ... Link to business objectives: Explain how data governance directly supports the organization's strategic goals, such as improving customer satisfaction, increasing operational efficiency or driving innovation. EU AI Act: Emphasize the importance of data governance in the context of upcoming regulations, such as the new EU AI Act. Explain the importance of strong data and AI governance practices to ensure compliance, especially for generative AI applications that are subject to strict data quality, transparency and accountability requirements. Highlight the risks of non-compliance, including legal penalties and reputational damage.

If you need to persuade your boss to prioritize data governance, there are a few things to consider. As much as we know data governance is important, you need to get that point across. What problems does the company face that are caused by data? Have people been working crazy hours to get the work done, but actually hide that there's a data problem? How can data help the business goals? Can you identify tangible and intangible benefits? Finally, why do you have to persuade your boss? Are you reporting to the wrong person? Why isn't your boss already your supporter?

'Governance' is not a 'sexy' topic, on the surface. Firstly, I would try to avoid use of that word, and be more clear on what we are really proposing. For example, does it make sense that we have clear owners & decision makers for how data should be modelled, updated, quality measured, etc? It would make sense to have some standard policies & procedures? From there, I would provide very crisp examples on what happens when there is a 'lack' of diligence around data - specific examples relevant to the business function / vertical / etc. If they 'feel the pain' where data governance is lacking, it won't be a big leap to get them onboard in supporting establishment of data governance.

The Case you are making should articulate the business value and make sure it directly ties to organizational goals. In addition, it should prioritize data governance capabilities such as catalog and lineage into some sort of a compliance situation if possible.

In the world; there are several examples of how company faced fines and legal problems when it doesn't meet the privacy regulations on specific countries: so you can use it to evaluate how company could reflect oneself to theses cases and argument the need to use a data governance policies soon.

Convincing your boss to prioritize data governance is crucial for risk mitigation. Data breaches like the Equifax incident can lead to fines and reputational damage. Non-compliance with regulations like GDPR has cost companies millions, as seen with British Airways. A solid data governance framework ensures data is managed securely and legally, preventing costly penalties and loss of customer trust. This proactive approach not only protects the company financially but also supports strategic goals, improves efficiency, and safeguards reputation.

To persuade your boss to prioritize data governance, highlight its importance for ensuring data accuracy, compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), and risk mitigation. Emphasize benefits such as better decision-making, cost efficiency by reducing errors, and enhanced customer trust. Show alignment with strategic goals like digital transformation and competitive advantage. Propose a clear implementation plan with defined roles, milestones, and success metrics, addressing cost and change management concerns. Support your case with industry examples and internal advocates, emphasizing the long-term value and necessity of robust data governance.

If your organization operates in a regulated industry, stress the importance of data governance for compliance with laws and regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or industry-specific standards. Highlight the potential legal and financial risks of non-compliance.

Quién determina si un dato es de buena o mala calidad?. Tenemos reglas básicas como las de completitud, que normalmente vienen dadas por temas normativos. Pero si no existe un data owner que sea quien defina o apruebe las reglas de calidad, que priorice los controles y planes de remediacion, podemos caer en la zona de indicadores que no aportan a la toma de decisiones.

Position data quality as a source of competitive advantage. Organizations that prioritize data quality can make better-informed decisions faster, respond more effectively to market changes, and deliver superior products and services to customers.

Quantify the impact of poor data quality issues. Utilise your sources of truth - we are data people and we need to use data to back up our views. Example sources quantitatively are your Governance Risk and Compliance / Enterprise Risk Management systems for incidents and costs related to data related incidents and non-compliance.

Find business cases by interviewing those using data in decision making and reporting. Estimate how much time they spend on “cleaning” poor data, and what conclusions they can’t make based on current data due to quality issues. Calculate the cost and use it to convince your manager.

Highlight how good data governance improves data quality. Accurate data is crucial for informed decision-making. Provide an example where clean data improved marketing campaign results by 20-30%. Show how this can enhance customer satisfaction and drive business growth. Good data quality ensures reliable and actionable insights, which are invaluable.

Garner support from key stakeholders across departments. Explain the benefits of data governance for each area, like how it can improve financial reporting accuracy for the finance team. Use concrete examples to illustrate these benefits. Encourage department heads to advocate for data governance. Broad support facilitates smoother implementation and greater overall buy-in.

Convincing your boss to champion data governance can significantly encourage other teams to adopt it. Explain how a robust data governance framework can streamline processes and improve data quality across the organization. For instance, marketing can benefit from accurate data analytics to target campaigns more effectively, while finance can ensure compliance and accuracy in reporting. By highlighting these benefits, you can demonstrate how data governance not only improves individual team performance but also enhances overall organizational efficiency and success.

Implementing data governance can be simple: Define Clear Policies: Set straightforward rules for data management, access, usage, and protection. Assign Roles: Designate data stewards in each department to oversee practices and ensure compliance. Use User-Friendly Tools: Implement easy-to-use data management software and provide training for all employees. Promote a Data-Driven Culture: Emphasize the importance of data quality and security. Share success stories to illustrate benefits. Regular Audits: Periodically review and update data policies to ensure they remain effective.

Outline clear, practical steps for implementing data governance. Suggest forming a data governance committee as a first step. Recommend using established frameworks and tools for data management. Provide a detailed timeline with specific milestones. Concrete steps help make the process seem achievable and well-structured.

To convince your boss to prioritize data governance, highlight the business impact ... Cost savings: Emphasize how effective data governance reduces costs by improving efficiency and preventing costly data breaches or errors. Show examples of organizations that have been costly due to poor data governance practices. Regulatory compliance: Emphasize the importance of regulatory compliance (e.g. GDPR) and how data governance helps avoid hefty fines and legal issues. Highlight recent legislative changes that impact your industry (e.g. EU AI Act) Competitive advantage: Demonstrate how high-quality, well-managed data can provide a competitive advantage by enabling better decision making and more accurate analysis.

Consider the long-term benefits of data governance. It’s not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment. Explain how continuous education and adaptation keep the company competitive. Mention that investing in data governance now will save future costs and resources. Emphasize building a sustainable data culture within the organization.