The Data Governance Imperative [Paperback]

Steve Sarsfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2009

Attention to corporate information has never been more important than now. The ability to generate accurate business intelligence, accurate financial reports and to understand your business relies on better processes and personal commitment to clean data. Every byte of data that resides inside your company, and some that resides outside its walls, has the potential to make you stronger by giving you the agility, speed and intelligence that none of your competitors yet have. Data governance is the term given to changing the hearts and minds of your company to see the value of such information quality. "The Data Governance Imperative" is a business person's view of data governance. This practical book covers both strategies and tactics around managing a data governance initiative. The author, Steve Sarsfield, works for a major enterprise software company and is a leading expert in data quality and data governance, focusing on the business perspectives that are important to data champions, front-office employees, and executives.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Sarsfield is a leading expert in data quality and data governance, focusing on the business perspectives that are important to data champions, front office employees and executives. Steve runs an award winning and world recognized Blog called the Data Governance and Data Quality Insider and is a popular public speaker on the topic, having delivered countless presentations at industry conferences and college campuses throughout the United States. He is a member of the organizing committee for the 2009 MIT Information Quality Industry Symposium (IQIS) which facilitates vibrant discussion among practitioners and academicians on how to improve the quality of information. Steve draws practical wisdom and inspiration from his colleagues at Harte-Hanks Trillium Software and its customers as they venture into their own data governance projects.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: IT Governance Publishing (April 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1849280126
• ISBN-13: 978-1849280129
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve Sarsfield is a leading author and expert in data quality and data governance. His book "The Data Governance Imperative" is a comprehensive exploration of data governance from the business perspective. Steve runs an award winning and world recognized blog called the Data Governance and Data Quality Insider. Steve draws practical wisdom and inspiration from his colleagues at Talend and its customers as they venture into their own data governance projects.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's people, process and technology, May 27, 2009

By 

Data Man "Data Man" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Data Governance Imperative (Paperback)

Chapters 1 and 2 - Frames up the whole data governance issue, giving the probable history that brought your organization to the realization that it needs data governance.
Chapter 3 and 4 - How to define success for your data governance initiative and how to go after the funding.
Chapter 5 and 6 - Describes the people you need on your data governance project and how should you communicate with them.
Chapter 7 - How to build data governance into every IT project
Chapter 8 - Technologies that support data governance
Chapter 9 - Conclusion
Chapter 10 - A case study on data governance

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new book for the toolbox, July 27, 2009

By 

Eileen E. Woodmansee "wkendgardner" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Data Governance Imperative (Paperback)

We're all busy, this book came across my desk and I made a decision to read a chapter a day and would encourage others to do the same. It is practical, easy to understand and can be applied at all levels of an organization. As I read through the book, I came to the realization that I am not just a type-A, data geek, but a data governance champion.
The author is funny and smart and provides a down to earth, practical explanation of the bottom line impact of incomplete or inaccurate data from various corporate perspectives. Specific examples are given in terms of data quality and costs, from defining the team, developing a data quality scorecard, and creating solid metrics to effective maintenance and monitoring. While many of the techniques are familiar, the author provides specific data governance examples to which we can all relate. Both text and graphics are used to paint the picture.
This book has been given a place in my personal and professional toolbox.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is truly imperative that you read this book!, December 2, 2009

By 

James E. Harris "ocdqblog" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Data Governance Imperative (Paperback)

Although I have an extensive background in data quality, I had never formally used the term "data governance" with my clients. Therefore, I began researching what data governance is and how it specifically relates to data quality.

Thankfully, I found a great resource in Steve Sarsfield's excellent book, which explained:

"Data governance is about changing the hearts and minds of your company to see the value of information quality...data governance is a set of processes that ensures that important data assets are formally managed throughout the enterprise...at the root of the problems with managing your data are data quality problems...data governance guarantees that data can be trusted...putting people in charge of fixing and preventing issues with data...to have fewer negative events as a result of poor data."

I highly recommend this book.

It will prove to be an invaluable resource, both for your organization and for your career.