Chapter 9 - Governing Big Data and Analytics

Abstract

We begin this chapter very much with the end in mind. The majority of work we've seen published related to governing Big Data analytics is an extension of approaches used in the structured data world. Given the recent Big Data phenomenon and some significant differences between the data approaches, technologies, sources, and challenges, it would seem more useful to step back and consider the scope of governance options available to you, which is exactly what we've chosen to do here. We therefore think that the end you want to keep in mind for Big Data analytics is different than the one used for a structure or legacy data environment. Data governance and controls have been maturing alongside traditional application and data management systems for decades. There was not, in our experience, a moment when anyone questioned whether or not structured data systems, applications, stores, and delivery services would be required. Quite the opposite, governance and controls were introduced as it became clear that the size and scope of the systems required them. In the current Big Data environment, that presumption has still been not entirely proven.