Data governance is a fundamental process that involves overseeing the accessibility, reliability, and accuracy of the data utilized by an organization. It is a crucial aspect of an organization’s broader data management plan since it guarantees that the data is dependable, comprehensive, and uniform across all platforms and software.
In today’s fast-paced technological landscape, having a complete and accurate view of an organization’s primary customers is critical for success. Organizations that lack a consistent and complete customer record may struggle to make informed business decisions that cater to their customers’ needs. This problem has become more prevalent in the association and nonprofit industries as technology has evolved and specialized products have surpassed the functionality of all-in-one systems.
Specialized products such as event registration, advocacy, learning management, and content management systems have become essential for organizations to handle their growing and evolving needs. However, the use of multiple systems that are not fully integrated can lead to data silos, which are isolated collections of data that cannot be accessed or updated easily. For example, if a user has separate logins for a event management platform and an association management system (AMS), those two systems will track data separately, resulting in multiple records for each customer.
The underlying problem is poor data governance, which can lead to complicated workflows, a clunky user experience, and premature system replacement. A strong data governance framework is necessary to prevent data silos and ensure that an organization’s data works for them rather than against them.
To improve an organization’s data governance, a data strategy and governance framework must be developed that aligns with the organization’s business objectives. This process requires identifying goals and desired outcomes, establishing guidelines for staff to maintain good data governance practices, and empowering a team to track and enforce data policies regularly. Data governance can help organizations streamline data management processes and reduce duplication of effort. This can result in cost savings and increased productivity.
About Systems Rewired
Systems Rewired is a Salesforce consulting company focusing on the association and nonprofit marketplace.