What does data governance primarily focus on?

Data governance primarily focuses on the management of data availability and integrity. This involves establishing policies, procedures, and standards to ensure that data is accurate, consistent, and accessible to those who need it within an organization. Effective data governance seeks to protect the data throughout its lifecycle, ensuring that it is both secure and useful, thus enabling informed decision-making.

The emphasis on data availability means that stakeholders can reliably access data when necessary, while the focus on integrity ensures that the data remains trustworthy and has not been altered in unacceptable ways. This holistic approach helps organizations comply with regulations, maintain data quality, and ultimately support their strategic objectives.

While aesthetics of data presentation, data storage costs, and personnel management are important aspects of data management, they do not encapsulate the core principles of data governance. Aesthetics may enhance usability but do not address data quality directly. Storage costs are a consideration within IT management but are secondary to the overall health of data governance. Personnel management is essential for operational success but is more about the structure than the governance framework itself.