The challenge facing all data governance officers is the same in almost every company: involving the entire organization - especially the business departments. In many people's minds, data definition is directly linked to data provision and is therefore expected from IT. But data is not a product of IT!
Why? Because data is nothing more than the representation of the business in digital form - in other words, a "digital twin.
Expert definitions therefore do not refer to data, but to the business objects that are related to the company and the relevant properties of these business objects. In addition, it is also important to understand the context of these business objects in relation to each other - and who knows about this better than the experts in the operational areas?!
So find those colleagues who not only understand the goals and tasks of the respective business function, but often also prescribe or control them for others. Based on the operational processes, it is easy to understand which business objects are the basis for doing business - whether people (customers, employees, business partners ...), things that can be attacked (products, materials, equipment, buildings ...) or even exclusively digital objects.
More than 30 years ago, when asset accounting was taught in commercial academies, the asset ledger was still a collection of pieces of paper. Nowadays, it is known exclusively electronically. But then as now, it is a relevant business object for cataloging, describing and valuing a company's assets.
But what is the purpose of data, i.e. the digital representation of business objects and circumstances? Essentially, there are two reasons:
- to support and document operational processes and
- for controlling business lines in the form of key figures and evaluations.
Knowledge about relevant objects (often in the form of external data) also supports the development of new business ideas.
Therefore, developing a business object model does not require data modeling, but simply people who have an understanding of their business. Take an hour together with the competent people from the business units. Let them tell you in 10 minutes what the goals and tasks of this business unit are. Listen carefully and the most important three to five business objects are on the table. Record, discuss and give the detail as homework. Voilà - within a few days there is a high-level business data model that the experts feel responsible for.
If the collaboration of the experts is enabled and the knowledge about the respective business share is made available to all, different views and contexts quickly become clear. These are harmonized together or differentiated in the correct way. Regular joint meetings generate lasting governance. This understanding of the overall view of the digital twin spreads to all areas. Now those colleagues who capture the data can understand why the correct and complete representation of the business (= data) is so important. At the same time, the business object model serves as documentation for the individual employees in the departments as a basic understanding of their tasks. Training new colleagues thus works just as easily as considering new business models or process changes.
Silos and going it alone are out - transparency and collaboration are in!
And everyone does what they do best - technical definitions come from the technical experts, and the appropriate method from the data governance support. Have fun in the circle of new friends in the business.
