(US & Canada) VIDEO | Governance Has to be Embedded in Everything – Former Director of Belcan ITSG Program Management Office

Jill Campbell, Former Director of ITSG Program Management Office at Belcan, speaks with Derek Strauss, Chairman at Gavroshe and CDO Magazine Editorial Board Member, in a video interview about the three focal areas that lead to a successful data governance program, gaining executive sponsorship, and the importance of the CDO role in the process.

Campbell begins by stating that organizations wanting to succeed in the long term with data governance, must focus on the three prime aspects:

• Communication

• Understanding that data governance is a journey

• Curating governance

Communication, she says, is the most critical aspect. The conversations should happen across all sectors of the organization with the intent of changing the culture, embedding data, setting organizational goals, and addressing challenges.

Setting the right expectations and being able to communicate the progress, challenges, and goals at all organizational levels will bring cultural change, adds Campbell. For instance, she says communicating about the successful curation of data is pivotal to the success of data governance programs.

Next, Campbell emphasizes how critical it is to understand that data governance is a journey. It is a continued process that needs to be revisited frequently even after the data is operational.

The governance piece lies in making sure that data stays good, compliant, and operationally stable, asserts Campbell. She notes that the expectations of implementing a program should be set on a timeline, and there should be continuous improvement to maintain data accuracy.

Speaking of the third aspect of governance, Campbell discusses the importance of governance activities like curating the model, failing fast, and figuring out what works and what does not. She maintains that the ability to repeat the process will aid in a successful governance program.

To be successful with governance, organizations must focus on the three pivotal pieces as governance has to be embedded in everything, says Campbell. Additionally, she states that it is the embracing of everything everyone does and taking ownership when need be.

When asked about having strong executive sponsorship, Campbell shares that getting executive sponsorship is a massive challenge and communication is the key to establishing that commitment and understanding.

Additionally, Campbell is hopeful about improvement in communication after the CDO appointment in Belcan. She affirms that having a CDO outside of IT is helpful, as the CDO can focus completely on the data responsibilities.

Most organizations with a successful data governance program have focused on standardizing CDO certifications and training. Further, government agencies are now required to have the role independently and not under IT or security.

As a takeaway for listeners, Campbell shares that everything boils down to the operational pieces and being passionate in the process. She reiterates the importance of understanding that data governance is a journey and not a sprint.

In conclusion, Campbell states that the journey may be broken into sprints to reach the goal, but organizations should be thoughtful, proactive, process-driven, and have an effective methodology.

CDO Magazine appreciates Jill Campbell for sharing her insights with our global community.