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DGIQ-E24: Data Governance: Where We Started, How It's Going, What's Ahead

This is Subscription-Only Content, It is NOT purchasable as a separate product

AAAS, publisher of the Science family of journals, consists of departments and teams that, historically, have operated independently of each other. In 2022, the Research and Data Analytics (RDA) department and IT started a data governance initiative.

Where we started: We had no ongoing data governance program; most analyses were being conducted in Excel, and discrepancies caused distrust in data and between teams.

How it’s going: We have a plan for promoting data governance and culture, a data governance structure that facilitates the development of policies and procedures, several automatically refreshing datasets to which reports are connected, and leadership ready to invest.

How did we get here: Our strategy involved meetings - lots of meetings, working with business units open to change, four important resources that served as our compass, and stickers.

What’s ahead: We plan to build on our data governance foundation, focus on data quality, and improve our data infrastructure.

Speaker: Jen Sargent

Jen Sargent, MPP, is the Director of Research & Data Analytics (RDA) at AAAS, publisher of the Science family of journals. RDA serves AAAS as a center of excellence that provides thought leadership regarding data collection, management, and governance; evaluation, reporting, and analytics to promote data-driven initiatives. Having spent most of her career in data analysis and reporting, Jen has spent the last two years learning everything she can about how to govern and manage data, and how to build a positive data culture. The more she learns, the more she realizes there is to learn! Her professional goal is to make a positive difference with data. On a personal note, Jen lives near Washington, DC with her husband, dog, and a nearly empty nest with two children in college and one in high school. She enjoys reading, walking her dog, and spending time with friends.