Bridging the gap: Enhancing data governance for innovation and ethical standards

In today's data-driven world, effective data governance is essential for organisations to unlock the full potential of their data while upholding ethical standards and ensuring privacy. The Data Governance Survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of current trends and challenges across industries such as Banking & Finance, Media, Consulting & Management, Pharma/Healthcare, FMCG, Health & Psychiatry, and Traffic.

This article highlights key findings from the survey, focusing on execution gaps, satisfaction levels, governance maturity, and areas for improvement. By addressing these insights, organisations can strengthen their data governance practices and drive innovation.

Working within the field of data governance across global organisations, the focus on data quality and operational excellence remains central to the business value proposition. Efforts to create a functional organisation that effectively utilises business-centric data require significant investment before yielding results. It can be frustrating when technological challenges hinder implementation, organisational changes derail improvement initiatives, or when a data strategy fails to deliver the expected outcomes

Based on our observations and experience, we wanted to take a broader look at how data governance is perceived across organisations. For some, it is a strict regulatory requirement; for others, it is a business benefit that simply oils the machine. Either way, the truth likely lies somewhere in between, and we were curious to see where.

Disclaimer: The survey received responses from a limited number of key personas, all closely involved with data as a business-centric enabler. Over 63% of respondents work in large organisations (1,000+ employees), which makes the recommendations more directly relevant to them, while still being broadly applicable across different sectors.

Understanding current data governance trends

The data from the survey helps us focus on where content and context truly matter. We wanted to explore two crucial factors that we believe are key to the success of any data governance initiative: people and technology.

At Implement, we believe that both elements – people and technology – deserve a deep dive to fully understand and assess their impact, as they are fundamental to driving overall business performance. To succeed, it is crucial to understand the capabilities within each area, as harmonising them effectively is key to achieving success.

When it comes to people, we decided to explore various areas such as vision, culture, roles, leadership, and ethics. Each of these topics is critical and deserves thorough exploration, as they hold the essential depth needed to establish a strong sense of purpose from a human perspective. When it comes to technology, we examined areas such as data architecture, data quality, security, tooling, and innovation. Mastering these topics is essential for building the functional capability needed to drive success.

The gist

Key findings from the survey reveal a clear gap between the recognition of the value of data-driven approaches and their actual execution. While many organisations acknowledge the importance of fostering a data-driven culture and using data for innovation, execution often falls short due to inefficiencies in data quality tools, lineage tracking, automation, and infrastructure modernisation. This disconnect highlights the need for organisations to invest in the necessary tools and infrastructure to fully leverage the potential of a data-driven strategy.

Overall satisfaction with current data governance setups averages 5.7 out of 10, with individual ratings ranging from 5 to 6.5. Limited adoption, usability issues, and inconsistent automation are key obstacles preventing organisations from fully realising their data governance capabilities. While there is some satisfaction, these issues indicate significant room for improvement in adoption, usability, and the overall effectiveness of data governance tools.

Many organisations struggle with governance maturity. Few have excelled in this aspect, often facing challenges like unclear roles, insufficient accountability, and weak frameworks. Interestingly, operational teams are generally more experienced and prepared than leadership in driving governance initiatives. This suggests that organisations must prioritise clarifying roles and responsibilities, strengthening accountability, and building more robust frameworks to improve governance maturity.

On a positive note, organisations exhibit strong adherence to ethical standards and data privacy laws, providing a solid foundation in these areas. This commitment reflects a positive trend in ensuring ethical practices and regulatory compliance, which is essential for building trust and maintaining data integrity.