Have you ever been in a meeting where attendees questioned the data in a report, and was there disagreement about where the data came from? Have different attendees questioned the meaning of something in a report? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you have a good idea of why data governance is so important.
In a video interview, Jason F. Simon, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Data, Analytics and Institutional Research at the University of North Texas (UNT), shared why data governance is critical at his institution. Watch these four short video segments to hear some of his key takeaways around:
- Data challenges.
- Difference makers on the data journey.
- Defining success.
- Outcomes.
Data challenges
Simon stresses that it's important for educational institutions to understand where their data exists and what it really means – not what people think it means. They also need to know how can it be exploited. Listen to how he explains the data challenges educational institutions face.
Difference makers on the data journey
Simon explained how his university began to use the business data network and data governance applications and tools to track how business terms moved in, through and out of their data management practice. It was a real difference maker for them. With a trusted source of truth around their information, executives could cut through some of their concerns and focus on making real business impacts versus engaging in in dialog around what something "might mean."
Defining success
Establishing a data governance process was critical to success, Simon explained. They were not going to rush an analytic product into production without first doing due diligence on the data management and data governance side. Learn how UNT defines success.
Outcomes
The initial journey to get a data governance process in place impacted UNT in notable ways. They’re not only seeing value in the analytics they’re producing; they’re also starting to really see the value of what well-governed data looks like.
Learn more about the data journey at UNT by reading their success story: University aces data strategy to retain more students. You can also watch the rest of Jason Simon’s video interview.
Read how other educational institutions are using data management and analytics