If you have material that is of business value to your agency, whether the term you use for it is data, information or records, then chances are it needs to be appropriately managed and therefore governed. While it may be useful to distinguish between these terms when discussing particular uses or dealing with various stakeholders, often it is not necessary or indeed practical to expend time and energy defining and differentiating between these terms.
Although data, information and records may be collected, created, used and stored for different purposes and by different stakeholders, they all require similar management processes and governance oversight. These activities will be more effective and of better quality if conducted in conjunction with business users and their requirements. Aligning data governance activities with existing or well-established agency governance roles and responsibilities where appropriate will further facilitate uptake, understanding and acceptance.
Data governance vs information governance
Data governance and information governance are similarly defined, therefore in practice they are very alike in both form and structure. The philosophy or intent that underpin both is that data and information are an asset to an organisation. By governing this asset appropriately, an organisation ensures that the value of data and information is fully maximised across the entire organisation and potentially beyond.
Many hours of thought and analysis by many authors has gone into defining the difference between data and information, however from a governance perspective, the point is to not labour the definitional differences between the two but focus on what is required to define and achieve the business objectives for your governance practice.
QGCIO defines information governance as the system by which current and future use of information and its management is directed and controlled. This definition is very similar to the DMBoK data governance definition described above.
QGCIO has long standing policy guidance regarding information governance. At the highest level, this consists of the Information governance policy that mandates agencies must implement a formal information governance practice. This policy is supported by the Implementing information governance guideline, which provides detailed descriptions of the components of effective information governance, as well as practical advice regarding their implementation.
Data governance vs. data management
Data management is the development, execution and supervision of plans, policies, programs and practices that deliver, control, protect and enhance the value of data and information assets throughout their lifecycles (DMBoK, 2017, p.17). So, while data management encompasses the broad practice and processes relating to an organisations data, data governance activities exercise authority and control over these data management processes through planning, monitoring and enforcement. Data governance guides and controls an organisations data management practice.
Therefore, data management and data governance are two separate yet interdependent activities, both of which symbiotically exist to ensure an agency can derive the maximum benefits from its data and information holdings.
Data management vs. data governance. Adapted from an image contained in the Data Management Body of Knowledge p.72.