What Does Good Data Governance Training Look Like?

Data governance is critical for higher education institutions, ensuring data quality, trust, and effective decision-making.

This article explores what data governance training entails, why it's essential, and its purpose in fostering a data-driven culture. It highlights the roles of those involved, the responsibilities of Data Owners, and practical steps for training them. 

What is the importance of data governance for your institution?

Data governance training is essential for your higher education institution to ensure:

• Data Quality: High-quality data is accurate, consistent, and reliable, which is vital for informed decision-making and operational efficiency.

• Trust: Building trust in data means stakeholders can confidently use the information, knowing it is reliable and well-managed.

• Effective Decision-Making: Reliable data enables leaders to make well-informed decisions, leading to better outcomes and strategic advancements.

It empowers everyone within your institution who interacts with the data with the skills to manage data efficiently, support a data-driven culture, and mitigate risks. 

By prioritising data governance, your institution can enhance operational efficiency, uncover valuable insights, and foster stakeholder confidence in data use. Training bridges knowledge gaps, aligning everyone towards common goals and sustainable data practices.

Who should be involved in the data?

In a higher education institution, data is interacted with by various roles:

• Senior Leaders: Oversee data strategy and governance.

• Data Owners: Manage and ensure the integrity of data within their domains.

• Data Stewards: University employees who use and maintain data for daily operations.

• Third Parties: Collaborators or vendors who use data under strict governance policies.

Effective data governance ensures these roles work together seamlessly, promoting data quality and informed decision-making.

Data owners: What are their responsibilities

Data Owners are crucial in a higher education institution, responsible for:

• Managing Data Quality: Ensuring accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data within their domain.

• Establishing Governance Policies: Setting and enforcing data standards and protocols.

• Empowering Data Stewards: Providing guidance, support, and resources for data usage.

• Prioritising Data Initiatives: Aligning data governance activities with institutional goals.

• Ensuring Compliance: Adhering to legal and regulatory requirements for data management.

Their leadership fosters a culture of effective data use and governance.

Who can be a data owner?

Data Owners are typically senior leaders within an institution who have functional accountability for specific data domains. They are responsible for data governance and ensuring data quality and integrity.

What data governance skills should they have?

1. Leadership: Ability to lead data governance initiatives and mentor data stewards.

2. Communication: Clear communication skills to articulate data policies and strategies.

3. Strategic Thinking: Aligning data initiatives with institutional goals.

How can you train a Data Owner?

Below are some data governance best practices for giving data skills training to your Data Owners:

1. Foundational Training: Provide comprehensive training on data governance principles, data management, and regulatory requirements.

2. Role-Specific Workshops: Conduct workshops focused on the responsibilities of Data Owners, including managing data quality, setting governance policies, and empowering data stewards.

3. Mentorship Programs: Pair new Data Owners with experienced mentors for ongoing support and guidance.

4. Practical Exercises: Use real-world scenarios to practice decision-making and problem-solving.

5. Continuous Learning: Encourage participation in seminars, conferences, and further education on emerging data governance trends.

What should Data Owners focus on first?

Once your institution has identified, allocated, and trained its Data Owners, your job isn't finished. In fact, this is when the real work begins. 

Data Owners have functional accountability for a domain and data governance implementation. Their governance role extends beyond their own area and impacts your entire organisation. It can even create challenges within their functional area, but this is part of a broader strategy that benefits the entire institution.

A primary responsibility of Data Owners is empowering their stewards. At ConnectED, we often hear stewards ask, "Where does the time for all this new work come from?" 

The answer lies with the Data Owners. They must prioritise governance activities over existing ones, ensuring the framework's success.

Key Themes for Data Owners to Communicate

To support this transition, we’ve developed a template covering essential themes:

1. Organisational Commitment: Emphasise that the organisation is fundamentally changing how it manages and uses data, supported at the top and prioritised.

2. Benefits of Data Governance: Highlight lower costs, higher trust in data, new insights, staff motivation, improved customer experience, and risk protection.

3. Empowering Stewards: Acknowledge stewards' expertise, grant them time and authority, and ensure they have the necessary support.

4. Training and Support: Provide comprehensive training and continuous mentoring to help stewards succeed.

10 tips for Data Owners to train Data Stewards on maintaining data integrity

1. Emphasise Importance: Highlight the critical role of data integrity in decision-making and compliance.

2. Define Standards: Clearly outline the university data governance policy, data quality standards and expectations.

3. Provide Tools: Equip stewards with the right tools and software for data management.

4. Regular Training: Conduct ongoing training sessions to keep skills updated.

5. Encourage Effective Data Governance Practices: Promote best practices in data entry and management.

6. Audit and Feedback: Implement regular audits and provide constructive feedback. Encourage stakeholder engagement in data governance initiatives.

7. Foster Collaboration: Encourage collaboration between stewards and other data stakeholders.

8. Create Documentation: Maintain clear and accessible documentation for data processes.

9. Mentorship Programs: Pair stewards with experienced mentors.

10. Recognise Efforts: Acknowledge and reward stewards' efforts in maintaining data integrity.

Data Governance Training FAQs

What are the benefits of data governance training? 

Data governance training helps your institution to manage data more effectively, improving data quality, reducing operational costs, and fostering a data-driven culture.

Why is the role of a Data Owner important? 

Data Owners prioritise governance activities, empower stewards, and ensure the success of data initiatives across your organisation.

How can effective data governance be achieved? 

Through clear data strategies, continuous training, and strong leadership support, your institution can create an effective data governance structure.

What skills are essential for data governance? 

Key skills include data literacy, an understanding of data governance principles, and the ability to manage data effectively.

Ready to enhance your institution’s data governance? 

ConnectED offers comprehensive training and support to empower your leaders and stewards. Transform your data management practices today. Contact us at ConnectED to get started.