Minimising risk and empowering teams through good data governance practices

Minimising risk and empowering teams through good data governance practices

GWI was engaged to develop a fit for purpose Data Governance Framework and Operating Model to support our customer in minimising risk and empowering their workforce to do more with their data.

The context  

The member-owned organisation brings a diverse and expansive service offering. They employ more than 2200 people across Queensland and collect and store a large amount of data and information. They identified the need to formalise and implement a group-wide Data Governance Framework after it was revealed that existing structures were not suitable.

The method

GWI interviewed a range of executives from different business verticals to understand how data is used at the organisation, review current governance structures and identify challenges and pain points.

We identified that whilst existing policies covered elements of data governance, they focused primarily on information security rather than leveraging data assets to provide business insights. They also lacked sufficient roles and responsibilities and did not articulate relevant protocols for the responsible use of emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

To address this, GWI developed a Data Governance Framework that clearly identifies key roles and responsibilities, processes and controls, data governance performance management, critical data domains and systems and tools relevant to uplift data governance maturity. Our solution also considers legislative requirements to ensure data is managed in a compliant and ethical manner.

We supported the solution by developing tailored Data Governance Playbooks to help communicate the importance of data governance and onboard the relevant team members with their specific roles and responsibilities during implementation.

GWI also devised an Operating Model to assist in the implementation phase which included:

• An overall implementation approach
• Decision-rights model
• Data risk management approach
• Use cases for data governance.

Throughout the engagement, GWI also identified additional related opportunities that the organisation could investigate to improve the way they manage data including data governance proof of concepts, data and analytics operating model, and reviewing of current application and technology ecosystem.

The impact  

As a result of working with GWI, the organisation can get a jumpstart on the roll-out of a robust organisation-wide data governance program with a set of prioritised actions. The tailored nature of the framework and operating model will help to establish and embed good data governance practices.

It simultaneously reduces data-related risks and gives staff a 360 view of members to provide better services and ensure a compliant and ethical approach to the collection, use and storage of information.

Since 65% of organisations aim to fuel revenue growth through effective data governance (ADAPT, 2024), establishing an adaptable framework is essential to success. Let GWI’s team of experienced data governance specialists guide your organisation on the journey.

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