Are You Setting Clear Expectations For Your Data Roles?
One of the biggest mistakes I’m seeing in many organizations on a Data Governance adoption today is the lack of clear expectations for their critical data roles.
Establishing accountability with key data roles and responsibilities is one of the most critical success factors of any data governance adoption journey.
We cannot overemphasize the importance of identifying and appointing the right people with the suitable DNA into your key roles and responsibilities. It is equally critical that clear expectations are set for each data role and responsibilities for success to be realized.
In recent years, I’ve walked into many organizations where data governance journey continues to be more of a 'start and stop' as they struggle to build momentum around their grassroots advocacy and adoption simply because the main players in their key data roles are unclear about the undefined expectations around their roles.
In many of these cases, these individuals have been appointed and nominated into their roles without proper communication of the needful commitment and expectations.
Many assumptions are often made around the expectations from key actors and candidates in terms of needful commitment and due diligence from them.
An unset expectation with your key roles and responsibilities is a number one recipe for your governance adoption to start crumbling before it starts. It will be difficult for your adoption to take off without set expectations, as many of your key players and data role candidates will fail to prioritize needful commitment from them rightfully.
The ‘WHY’ of lack of clear expectations?
There are several reasons why many organizations miss this critical task that often sets them back in their adoption efforts. Most organizations in this predicament are often too quick to rush into execution at the expense of setting the proper stage for people engagement and alignment. While others assume that their appointees understand what is required from them, only to realize along the journey that they’re not aligned on execution strategy and commitment.
Unfortunately, such organizations will continue to struggle with recurring resistance and challenging execution unless they push the reset button to reset their expectations.
Fact – ‘People can’t live up to expectations they don’t know have been set for them.’
You need to set a clear expectation for your key players and data roles to understand the importance of their roles and responsibilities in governance execution.
So, why do you need to set clear expectations with your key data roles?
‘When you’re in alignment with expectations, things have a way of working out. Where there’s a lack of clarity of expectations, success is at risk.’
Data Governance is a collaborative effort that requires every member of your organization to realize they have a role to play. Every team member in today’s data driven world is a data citizen. That means you’re either a data producer or data consumer. With each role comes responsibilities and expectations that must be clearly articulated and agreed to at the onset of your adoption journey.
Setting off with an alignment of understanding would accelerate your execution journey and prevent unexpected hurdles along the way.
For the needful cultural transformation of your people and culture around your data asset to be realized. Every data citizen must understand and align with the required expectations from their roles and responsibilities.
How do you set expectations for your critical data roles?
1) Foremost, you must recognize there are typically two sets of data roles that must be recognized into your data governance adoption:
a. Existing Data and Architecture Roles: These roles currently support your data infrastructure. These are your business-as-usual roles that keep the engine rolling in your organization. i.e. Your Data Architects, Platform owners, Data Custodians, and other operational support roles.
b. Core Governance Roles: These are often new roles identified with your Data Governance adoption. i.e. Data Owners, Process Owners, and Data Stewards.
2) You must formalize and recognize individuals in the current data roles into data governance adoption execution. i.e., You must carry your existing data and architecture roles with your organization's governance adoption mission. They must understand the needful from them as part of effective governance execution.
3) Your new governance roles candidate must be briefed about their roles and expectations around their responsibilities.
4) These expectations must be reviewed with everyone with an opportunity for them to ask questions and seek clarifications on the same.
5) Candidates must understand stated expectations for their roles will be measured and tied into their annual performance evaluation.
6) The expectation must be clear and detailed with the level of commitment in governance activities. i.e., percentage of time commitment to the role.
7) All data roles and responsibilities must be formalized with the data governance council.
8) Roles and Responsibilities must be socialized and published to recognize candidates’ appointments.
9) A formal process for onboarding and offboarding your data roles must be established.
The key takeaway from this is if you’re having a challenge gaining traction in your data governance adoption because you’re facing a lot of resistance and a lack of commitment from your data roles. If operationalizing your data governance adoption is becoming more of a drag, you’re struggling to build momentum around your execution because of non-committal data roles. You will need to step back and reset missing expectations with each key data role and get an alignment of understanding on your execution plan.
Need practical help on how to rightfully kickoff your Data Governance adoption in an accelerated way?
Book a Free Call with me to discuss your challenges, and we can explore simple strategies to actualize your governance success.
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