To help this process, many executives and professionals say their organizations have embarked on comprehensive data governance programs, intended to ensure data quality, as well as value to the business. Forty-three percent of respondents indicate their organizations have data security and privacy initiatives in place, and another 38% have information integration frameworks. About one-third have data quality initiatives underway.
However, the survey finds that most respondents are not satisfied with the development of their information governance programs. Information governance initiatives often have limited scope, lack business sponsors, and have trouble winning funding when competing with other IT priorities. A total of 44% say their data governance programs are either “immature” or “somewhat immature” compared with only 28% who would consider their programs to be “mature” or “somewhat mature.”
Figure 2: How Would You Rate Your Organization’s Current Maturity Level?| Immature | 18% |
| Somewhat immature | 26% |
| Neither mature nor immature | 28% |
| Somewhat mature | 21% |
| Mature | 7% |
Of the information governance projects that have moved forward, data security and privacy are ongoing top-of-the-agenda issues. Most data governance efforts tend to be scattered across enterprises—56% of respondents say that such initiatives tend to arise as standalone projects, or are required as part of another initiatives. Only 25% indicate that their organizations have coordinated, enterprise-wide programs.
The role of data governance is to build confidence that enterprise data used for analysis and in applications can be trusted. Whether they are consolidating and retiring applications to modernize their infrastructures, creating an enhanced 360-degree view of customers, or tackling other data-intensive projects, data and IT managers are competing for budget and resources with other priorities on a list topped by the maintenance of existing applications.