What is Data Governance

Definition

Data governance is the framework of policies, roles, and processes that controls how data is defined, accessed, protected, and used, ensuring data across the organisation is accurate, secure, compliant, and accountable to clearly assigned owners.

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Assigns clear ownership and accountability so every dataset has a responsible steward
Enforces consistent definitions so the same metric means the same thing in every report
Reduces regulatory exposure by codifying privacy, retention, and access rules
Builds organisational trust in data by making quality and usage policies explicit

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Real World Example

A pharmaceutical company implements data governance to control who can access clinical-trial data, document approved definitions for key metrics, and prove compliance during regulatory audits.

FAQs

What is the goal of data governance?

To ensure data is accurate, secure, consistently defined, and used responsibly, with clear accountability for each dataset.

Who is involved in data governance?

Data owners, stewards, a governance council, and IT and compliance teams typically share defined roles and responsibilities.

How is governance different from data quality?

Governance is the broader framework of policies and accountability; data quality is one outcome it aims to ensure and measure.