What’s Data Governance? Tech and Business Don’t Agree

With more data being collected than ever — and the uses and security of customer data a growing concern — data governance has never been more crucial. But a new white paper points to a misalignment between IT and business on what exactly data governance means.

Perhaps ironically, the key findings from the new report indicate that, in particular, business professionals are less likely to believe data governance includes making it easier for business decision-makers to use the data their organization collects.

For instance: Half of all IT decision-makers surveyed said they would define “data governance” as “clearly conveying data in terms of relatable business context.” But only 30% of business professionals surveyed said the same.

The analyst firm Enterprise Strategy Group surveyed 220 business and IT professionals responsible for or familiar with data governance and empowerment strategies, investments and operations at their organizations. The respondent’s companies have at least 1,000 employees and annual revenues of at least $100 million.

Here are the key findings:

👁 Bar chart showing how IT and business professional define data governance