It May Be Time to Create a Data Governance Plan.

• Position: News & Numbers

Governments are looking for ways to improve their daily operations by harnessing the power of data. Done correctly, data strategies can allow an organization to make better and more strategic business decisions, run the organization more efficiently improve the customer service experience, and pave the way for further digital initiatives. However, these benefits are available only if an organization understands how data are used and where they originated, and preserves data integrity through systems and changes, according to "Five Signs It Might Be Time for Data Governance," a paper by Infogix. This is the function of data governance, which also sets guidelines for metadata management, drives processes for data issue resolution, and actively monitors and measures data quality improvement over time. The ultimate goal is to provide easily understood, high-quality data for decision makers throughout the organization.

"Starting a data governance program is never easy and is often wrought with hurdles," the paper notes. It's difficult to find the time, secure sponsorship, work through conflicting budget priorities, and create a business case with quantifiable revenue benefits. "Unless an organization is faced with regulatory compliance requirements, it may be difficult to quantify any of the other major benefits of a data governance program."

Given the...