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    10 Data Governance Steps

    Data governance has become increasingly vital to enterprises, especially as data is being collected by a multitude of stakeholders, some even unknown. Preserving the integrity and consistency of your organization’s data is crucial since this information is used to gain business insights. However, establishing a digital governance plan – managing multiple stakeholders, an increasingly complex marketing technology stack, and dealing with a changing regulatory environment – can be a challenge. With the right education and data governance solutions, the job can be made a lot simpler. In this slideshow, Mollie Panzner, SME on Digital Governance & Vendor Analysis at Ghostery, has identified 10 steps organizations can take towards establishing a proper data governance plan.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 1

    Developing a Data Governance Plan

    Click through for 10 steps organizations can take toward developing a data governance plan, as identified by Mollie Panzner, SME on Digital Governance & Vendor Analysis at Ghostery.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 2

    Assign a Digital Governance Owner 

    The process needs a leader to centralize project management and direct other key departmental stakeholders. This individual will be in charge of task prioritization, tag remediation, defining standards for vendor vetting, implementation, monitoring and removal.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 3

    Understand the Landscape

    A proper plan starts by performing an audit of your website’s technologies to identify all direct and indirect tags (including redirects). It’s also important to document the tags owners in order to isolate legacy, unknown, and unauthorized vendors, and to identify partners.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 4

    Take Advantage of Quick Wins 

    It’s easy to jump off the deep end and start analyzing each tag – sometimes there are hundreds if your page has been unchecked for a long time. Instead, start first by remediating tags that are considered to be “low hanging fruit,” such as removing expired and unknown tags, and updating protocols and tag implementations.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 5

    Make All Stakeholders Aware

    Hold meetings with the departmental stakeholders to create the website’s “vendor strategy.” Once agreed upon by all parties, circulate it to provide proper guidance for implementing tags and cost-benefit analysis.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 6

    Establish Governance Standards to Follow

    To help the process, a set of tag standards in a published governance policy framework is needed. It will define communications workflows, task ownership, approval processes and a required tag implementation questionnaire. Consider additional scrutiny for tags that contain PII.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 7

    Keep Detailed Records of Vendors 

    Make sure to keep documentation of vendor details for all currently implemented technologies (including approved redirects). Key issues to track include details on usage, ownership, categorization, data points collected, technology capabilities, revenue expectations, latency expectations, redirect limits and implementation expirations.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 8

    Pinpoint Additional Tags for Remediation 

    Utilizing the updated vendor strategy and governance standards, identify the tags that are deemed non-compliant due to an analysis of business function, category, performance, risk, footprint, or ROI to remediate.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 9

    Update Service Agreements 

    Make sure all agreements accurately reflect the newly defined vendor expectations, as well as privacy disclosures. Remember that North American and EU compliance regulations may vary, so both need to be considered.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 10

    Proactively Monitor Tag Details

    Areas to keep an eye on include usage, implementation, and deactivation. It can also be useful to leverage benchmarking, security, and performance KPIs to ensure ongoing optimal governance.

    10 Steps for a Proper Data Governance Plan - slide 11

    Implement Quarterly Reviews

    Quarterly governance-based KPI reviews, ongoing internal education of vendor capabilities, and strategic departmental stakeholder meetings will all ensure that data governance now and in the future remains under control.

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