What is it?
Creating an organisational culture that values data as an asset is a core component of any data governance effort. However, changing entrenched organisational behaviours is widely regarded as the biggest obstacle that can derail data governance efforts before they even begin. Creating a data-driven culture means shifting the mindset of employees so that they are motivated to manage and use data effectively on a day-to-day basis. It involves raising awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of an agency’s data objectives, embracing innovation and change, and encouraging an open and transparent data culture.
Why is it important?
When data is not regarded as a strategic asset by staff across the organisation, data quality degrades, information silos proliferate, and inefficiency and poor decisions around data often follow. In many respects, a data-driven culture will follow naturally if there is strong commitment from senior leadership, staff have a basic level of data literacy, and specialised data capabilities are spread evenly across the organisation. However, creating this culture also requires an ongoing effort by senior leadership to ensure data is fully appreciated by staff across all areas and all levels of the organisation.
What good looks like
Enterprise-wide: data governance is regarded as an enterprise-wide objective that applies to all staff, rather than just a compliance task or something for IT to do.
Celebrated: staff that demonstrate good data management practices are celebrated by senior leadership.
Collaborative: all parts of the organisation are engaged in enterprise-wide data governance initiatives and input from staff is incorporated from day one.
Business-enabler: staff have a strong understanding of how data governance can help them do their jobs more effectively and deliver real value for customers.
Ethical: robust data management practices are considered by staff as an ethical imperative, rather than a compliance requirement.
How to achieve good practice
Develop a simple and targeted communications plan that aligns data governance initiatives with the agency’s overall mission and objectives.
Develop and deliver learning opportunities and resources that grow the data literacy of the entire organisation and give staff practical guidance on how they should manage data on a day-to-day basis.
Measure the effectiveness of data initiatives and share the results with staff as well as other agencies to promote a government-wide culture of learning about data governance. For example, hold a showcase or create a data story to share the results of the data program or project and communicate how it contributes to the agency’s mission and goals.
Ensure each business unit has an assigned data leader to champion and engage with staff on data governance decisions and initiatives.
Develop performance metrics and incentivise and reward staff that demonstrate and promote data-driven values and behaviours.
Set up a Community of Practice (CoP) for staff across the organisation who can lead and advocate for the agency’s data agenda. The CoP should have executive sponsorship and comprise relevant subject matter experts (SMEs) across the organisation, including security, information and record management, and privacy.
Questions to ask yourself
How do leaders and stakeholders currently perceive the role of data in decision-making? Is data seen as a valuable asset and a critical factor in driving organisational success? |
How are data-related decisions made within the organisation? What factors influence these decisions, and how can data play a more central role in the decision-making process? |
How is data currently utilised across different departments and levels of the organisation? Are there any silos that hinder the sharing and collaboration of data-driven insights? |
What are the existing barriers to adopting a data-driven culture, such as resistance to change or lack of data literacy? How can these barriers be addressed and overcome? |
How are employees currently encouraged to use data in their daily work? Are there incentives or training programs in place to foster data literacy and promote data-driven decision-making? |
What tools and technologies are available to support data analysis and data-driven decision-making? Are these tools user-friendly and accessible to all relevant employees? |
How is data quality and data integrity ensured within the organisation? Are there processes in place to validate and verify data before it is used for decision-making? |
How are data insights communicated and presented to different stakeholders? Are data visualisations and reports easy to understand and actionable? |
What role does data play in the organisation's strategic planning and goal-setting process? How can data-driven insights contribute to more informed and effective strategic decisions? |
How are data governance policies and guidelines communicated throughout the organisation? Are employees aware of their responsibilities in handling data and adhering to data governance principles? |
What mechanisms are in place to monitor and measure the impact of data-driven decisions on organisational performance and outcomes? |
How does the organisation handle data privacy and data security concerns when encouraging data sharing and collaboration? |
How are failures or mistakes related to data-driven decisions handled within the organisation? Is there a culture of learning from data-driven experiences and continuously improving practices? |
How can the organisation foster a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and cross-functional data analysis? |
What role can data champions or advocates play in promoting a data-driven culture? How can their efforts be supported and recognised? |
How is data literacy assessed and developed within the organisation? Are there training and upskilling programs in place to improve data literacy across the workforce? |
How can data-driven success stories be celebrated and shared within the organisation to inspire others to embrace a data-driven approach? |
How can data governance principles be integrated into the organisation's values and mission to ensure their long-term adoption? |
How does the organisation ensure that data-driven insights are utilised ethically and responsibly? |
What steps can be taken to continually reinforce the importance of data-driven decision-making and sustain a data-driven culture over the long term? |
Download Module 8
Last updated 11 Jul 2024