To establish effective and impactful data stewardship:
Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:
Use this deck to establish a solid data governance foundation in your organization. Start by defining the value of data stewardship and data governance and demystifying the role.
This brief guide outlines how to adapt a data governance organizational structure for your organization and defines the roles of data owner, data steward, and data custodian.
Data stewards bring valuable expertise and knowledge about their business areas: priorities, business capabilities and processes, and challenges and opportunities with respect to data. Because this knowledge cannot be easily replicated, going outside your organization to hire a data steward is not the most effective route.
While it may seem difficult, organizing internally to harvest the already existing institutional knowledge of your business subject matter experts (SMEs) will give a better – and faster – return when setting up and formalizing data stewardship.
The role must be well defined and communicated. We cannot expect SMEs to wear a hat without understanding the expectations for their role. They must be set up for success – they must be empowered, recognized, and rewarded.
Crystal Singh
Director, Research and Advisory, Data and Analytics Practice
Info-Tech Research Group
Phase 1: Data Stewardship Value Proposition
Phase 2: Data Steward Role Design
Phase 3: Strategies for Data Stewardship Success
Unlock the value of data through people.
Data Steward Value Proposition
Clearly articulate the data stewardship value proposition. What's in it for the person, their line of business or mandate, and your organization as a whole.
Data Steward Role Design
Formally design and define the role of a data steward, including the functions and capabilities.
Strategies for Success
Set up your data stewards for success. Having a detailed role definition on paper is not enough. Ensure that you go the extra mile to deliver the relevant training, such as data stewardship onboarding and an awareness program.
Your Challenge | Common Obstacles | Info-Tech's Approach |
Data stewardship is a critical function in modern data governance. Every data-driven firm needs stewards who can rapidly tackle data issues and challenges. Data stewards help to reach agreement on data definition, quality, and usage. They direct efforts aimed at completing metadata, improving data quality, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Stewards must also provide recommendations regarding data access, security, distribution, retention, archiving, and disposal. |
While the data steward role is crucial to establishing and sustaining the effective governance of data, it is the role in the data governance operating structure that is often left unclear, ambiguous, and open to misinterpretation. It is often perceived as requiring incremental IT skills and one with all new or unfamiliar functions. In the ambition and haste to deliver on data governance, the various data governance role titles are communicated to the wider organization, often leaving data stewards wondering why they are being asked to be a data steward, what is expected of them, and how they will succeed in this role. |
Info-Tech's approach to establish effective and impactful data stewardship:
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Info-Tech Insight
Effective data governance requires a solid foundation. Data stewards provide the foundation for data governance. The time and effort to define this role properly will yield sound data governance return.
What is the VALUE of a DATA STEWARD?
Value of a Data Steward
Improved Data Quality Management
Clear and Consistent Data Definition
Increased Data Sharing and Collaboration
Ethical Handling of Data
Optimize the way you serve your stakeholders.
Respond to industry disruption.
Develop products and services to meet ever-evolving needs.
Manage operations and mitigate risk.
Data governance is:
If done correctly, data governance is not:
Data governance is about putting guard rails in place to better support the use and handling of your organization's data.
Is there a clear definition of data accountability and responsibility in your organization?