As a profession matures, it is natural to require standardization of some sort. The data profession has reached that point where a body of knowledge can exist and practitioners can train and certify in essential knowledge and practices.
Last year I participated in the creation of the Applied Data Governance Practitioner (ADGP) exam and body of knowledge. It is part of obtaining the ADGP certification (CDMP also required). The purpose of this article is to explain Why a DG cert as well as why this one is important
Why Data Governance specific?
The DMBoK / CDMP covers governance, right? Yes, it does, but as one of many other elements of the data management universe. And data governance is NOT a subset or a member of other data management functions. It is a distinctly separate capability.
(See the figure below to understand my view of this. Oh, if you do not subscribe to this taxonomy, consider changing your mind. It greatly simplifies your efforts.)
The separation of duties is a core concept to understanding and having success at governing data. There is a lot more to DG than the DMBoK / CDMP is designed to cover. It makes sense, then, to have a process that takes a deeper dive.
The ADGP
The ADGP was put together by practitioners with decades of experience. We also used widely vetted books, articles and training materials. The approach was non-technical, and holistic. For example, an entire micro-credential is based on covering BUSINESS IMPERATIVES. There is a lot of good alignment material in there – ahem. :D.
There is also a section on fundamental, foundational concepts. Like any other industry, the data world has a wide range of practitioners, vendors, self-declared gurus, and thought leader wannabe. The ADGP team sifted through everything and drove to core, well-researched concepts and techniques.
Lastly, the entire set of materials weaves in real world examples, a case study, and advice for practitioners to support real-world application.
Will it really help?
The result is a certification that really helps and enriches the student. Yes, this is a career enhancer. It is not really the little letters in your bio. It is the rich content and consistency you will learn.
- Governance That Fuels Business Strategy
- Learn how to align governance with business objectives to support organizational growth, foster continuous improvement, and adapt to evolving needs.
- Learn how to align governance with business objectives to support organizational growth, foster continuous improvement, and adapt to evolving needs.
- Mastery of Modern Governance Principles
- Created by a team of industry experts and practitioners working in the field every day.
- Created by a team of industry experts and practitioners working in the field every day.
- Rich Learning Formats
- Including study guides, knowledge checks, workbooks, practical templates, and case studies.
- Including study guides, knowledge checks, workbooks, practical templates, and case studies.
- Real-World Application
- Go beyond theory by applying governance frameworks, KPIs, risk management, and change management strategies to drive measurable business impact.
Our industry is at a tipping point. We have reached a stage where there is a lot to know, a few know a lot, and the rest are learning, and some are pretending they know more than they do. We can choose consistency of some sort, or go chasing after one interesting LinkedIn post or another. I would opt for ADGP first so you can think critically and apply your skills intelligently.
Learn more about the ADGP at DATAVERSITY here. (PS – Use the code LADLEY to get a BUNCH of money off the class).
