Gary Schneider, MassMutual Enterprise Data Governance and Privacy Lead speaks with Della Shea, Country CDO Ambassador for Canada, and CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board Member, in a video interview about data governance, ethical use and storage of data, roles of data stewards, how to use KPIs to monitor performance, and framing business initiatives for the desired outcome and buy-in from senior leaders.

At the onset, Schneider emphasizes the importance of having data governance and equality practices tightly aligned with partners from the second and third-line groups within the organization. Further, he suggests that all stakeholders need to be aware of their obligations and responsibilities when it comes to the ethical use, obtaining, applying, preserving, and storing of data. He also stresses that the senior management must deploy the messaging and empower the policy mandate and related standards that further define the target state, and consistently reinforce this message.

Next, Schneider suggests that data governance and data quality should be seen as shared practices among multiple people in the organization. He also highlights the necessity of setting up a clear accountability model that assigns roles as the data owner, data steward, and data custodian to each business function. Over this, he suggests monitoring their performance using business and operational key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure that individuals are held accountable for their assigned roles.

Additionally, Schneider believes in incorporating these roles into the organizational structure, with employees receiving adequate training and having the necessary resources to succeed. He states that data governance should provide a sense of control and enablement. Furthermore, people who take on these roles must have proper training and equipment to fulfill them, which is where data governance comes into play, says Schneider. He recommends equipping individuals assigned to roles within the data governance program to enable them to carry out their tasks effectively.

Elaborating further, he emphasizes the need to create and build appropriate tools, backed by a consistent support model, to address the requirements of the stakeholder community. He stresses the need for constant communication, providing key messages to show the value of these new roles to the short and long-term objectives of the organization.

Thereafter, Schneider encourages people to think big, start small, and scale quickly. As he explains, this is an effective way to frame business thinking and break down a complex problem into simpler terms. People should first understand their business, fashion a clear strategy, and create value to reach the desired outcome.

Starting small is also important to get the sponsorship and engagement needed, affirms Schneider. From there, one should build plans that include people, processes, and tools to support stakeholders.

In conclusion, he shares that it is critical to communicate frequently and be with people having strong technical, communication, and policy skillsets to keep the buy-in of senior leaders.

CDO Magazine appreciates Gary Schneider for sharing his insights and success stories with our global community.

See more from Gary Schneider 

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Clear Ownership Is Foundational to Quality Data Management