This is a fifth blog entry in a series of blog entries highlighting how to go about securing executive sponsorship for data governance initiatives? In my last post I highlighted the need for understanding the KPIs which are tracked by executives and the importance of clear and very specific knowledge of the goals behind those KPIs.
As you might have already noticed, these steps one goes through to answers litmus test questions, helps data governance organization with establishing a direct relationship between data governance initiatives and organizational priorities. Getting executive sponsorship is not a one shot deal. It is an ongoing process which needs to be initiated, maintained throughout the lifecycle of data governance initiatives.
It is important to get actual copies of the reports/presentations/summaries which executives use to review the progress of the key KPIs in executive management meetings. This will help data governance team in multiple ways.
- You will have very clear understanding of how the information provided by KPIs is consumed by executive management? Who is looking at this information and what frequency?
- The process of getting these copies will get you access to executives or people around executives who can give you access to executives. This is extremely important as data governance programs seek executive sponsorship.
- Making executives and people around them aware that data governance team is a critical recipient of the artifacts which are being used by executives, so that in future should any KPIs, goals, expectations, change executives/ executive office will notify data governance team. This way allowing you to establish data governance team as part (or recipient) of the priority/goal change management process.
- These artifacts will help you understand individual executives’ styles around data presentation, consumption. This will be of immense help to you, when you present the data governance ROI and case to the executives.
- Periodic copies of these artifacts will help you in establishing baseline for the KPIs and use this baseline to report progress around data governance initiatives.
As I write about these 10 questions for the litmus test of data governance initiatives to evaluate level and extent of executive sponsorship to the data governance programs, my approach has been to use these questions to help create a journey for data governance team which ultimately will help the team in garnering executive/business sponsorship. As you can see, working on getting answer to these questions will create necessary awareness, visibility amongst executives and business stakeholders. So when the time comes secure executive sponsorship it is not a surprise to the key people who will be asked for their support.
Previous posts on this or related topics:
Litmus Test for Data Governance Initiatives: What do you need to do to garner executive sponsorship?
Data Governance Litmus Test: Know thy KPIs
Data Governance Litmus Test: Know goals behind KPIs
Data Governance Litmus Test: How and who is putting together metrics/KPIs for executives?
Business Intelligence: Process, People and Products 