Companies implementing a business intelligence strategy and system often anticipate the many benefits that shared data brings throughout the organization. Shared data, however, must be married to strong governance for the greatest success with BI systems.
An October 2016 paper from Forbes entitled Breakthrough Business Intelligence: How Stronger Governance Becomes a Force for Enablement examined data from 437 senior executives worldwide. Their findings indicate that companies which are more successful with BI implementation are those that take a strong lead in system governance.
What Is BI System Governance?
It sounds like you're electing a mayor for your BI system, but "system governance" simply means who controls the data. The term often comes with negative connotations of control and roadblocks, but the Forbes survey found that companies who implemented clear governance programs actually fared better than those who did not restrict data access in any way. A logical and consistent governance program made for better data usage and satisfaction with BI tools.
What Does BI Governance Look Like?
BI systems can be programmed so that users can access all or only a portion of the data contained within. Additional features can limit data inputs or changes to minimize data entry mistakes. Most systems have a single sign-on, with administrators then setting limits on data access. Limits may be set by job function, title, or role within the organization.
But what about the promise of greater collaboration among departments from using BI systems? It's still a good use of the system. But certain customer data elements may be protected by privacy or security issues even in a highly collaborative environment. In that case, governance means safeguarding both customer data and the company's reputation by limiting access to data that, if compromised, could be detrimental to the organization and its customers.
Governance versus All Access: The Winners
The Forbes survey collected data from over 400 senior-level managers worldwide at a wide range of companies. The respondents indicated that 83% are choosing more data management, rather than less, in their company's systems.
How they manage data varies. Some assign by the department, others by roles. Approximately 81% assign access by a role in the organization.
The overall trend, the Forbes report found, is a healthy balance or blend between open access to data and managing data access. Companies that had the highest adoption and assimilation of BI systems within the organization had a logical policy regarding data management. They took care to ensure that data entered or changed within the system was done so by only a handful of people so that the system would be managed with consistency. But they also recognized that people needed different layers of access to the company's data, and implemented flexible policies to accommodate varied needs.
No Data Police Here
No one, least of all the managers who responded to the Forbes survey, recommends a 'data police force' in your company that patrols the beat looking for miscreants. A BI system isn't intended to be a data jail. Instead, a flexible, needs-based approach to data management seems to be the best policy for all concerned.
BAASS offers insight, support, and information to companies seeking BI systems. We can help you choose from among many good BI systems to find the right fit for your needs. For more information, visit our BI page. Contact us or call 1-888-650-5544.
