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12 CHAPTER 2 Definitions and concepts

An internal definition of DG would take the generic definition of DG, incorporate the Governance
V, and tune it to a definition more specific or relevant to an organization. For example:
“Data governance represents the program used by ACME to manage the organizational bodies,
policies, principles, and quality that will ensure access to accurate and risk-free data and
information. Data governance will establish standards, accountabilities, responsibilities, and
ensure that data and information usage achieves maximum value to ACME while managing the
cost and quality of information handling. Data governance will enforce the consistent, integrated,
and disciplined use of information at ACME.”

SOME ADDITIONAL DEFINITION EXAMPLES:
DG is a business process separate from Data (or Information) Management that affects the entire business.
(Data Strategy Journal, October 2007)
Data Governance is a framework of accountabilities and processes for making decisions and monitoring the
execution of data management. (financial organization)
.using a horizontal perspective of the organization and focusing on the major “pain points” for our business areas.
(financial services)
.designating People, Process and Technology. (Data Strategy Journal)
.the orchestration of people, process, and technology to enable the leveraging of data as an enterprise asset. It
affects all organizational areas by lines of business, functional areas and geographies. (software company)
.using rules, monitoring and enforcement with culturally acceptable techniques. (Data Strategy Journal)
.a system of decision rights and accountabilities for information-related processes, executed according to
agreed-upon models which describe who can take what actions with what information, and when, under what
circumstances, using what methods. (consultant)
To be clear, it is the exercise of executive authority over business data. (chemical company)

At this point, we have explained the concepts of EIM, IM, and DG (see Figure 2-3). It is perfectly
understandable that the reader might be thinking, “So what?” However, the time taken to review these
concepts is worth itdnot for a business person who is reading this book, but for an IT person. Frankly,
any businessperson understands these concepts when presented in the context of “hard” assets. Besides
the accounting metaphor, we can also use a supply chain metaphor (Figure 2-4).

FIGURE 2-3
EIM Concepts Related.