Marketers and data analysts are responsible for millions of rows of data across hundreds of data sources on a daily basis. The sheer depth and variety of this data can make it a beast to organize.
Effective data governance is a crucial part of managing all this data in a secure way and ensuring that the right people have access to the right data at the right time — or, in other words, ensuring proper data access.
In this post, we’ll define what data access is, explore its importance for marketers, and provide actionable tips for implementing effective data access strategies within your organization.
What is data access?
Data access refers to the ability to retrieve and use data stored in various databases, data sources, or data solutions. It involves managing permissions and ensuring that users can access the necessary data while keeping it secure from unauthorized access.
In short, it’s all about who can see what data or not. Data access is a key component of any data strategy and one of the six building blocks of data governance.
Data access involves defining who can see what data and ensuring employees have the correct access privileges.Why should data access matter to marketers?
Data access is part and parcel of any modern-day marketing. Without access to your data, how can you possibly aim to achieve the in-depth analysis you require to make informed decisions?
As businesses increasingly rely on data to optimize their strategies, marketers need quick, reliable, and secure access to this data in order to make timely, informed decisions.
Having effective and up-to-date data access can bring many advantages. Let’s take a look at four key benefits and a few examples of them in action:
1. Improved and efficient decision-making
When marketers have the necessary access to relevant data, they can spend their time analyzing trends, measuring campaign performance, and making those all-important data-driven decisions.
Example: Airline companies utilize booking data to implement dynamic pricing strategies. Marketing teams can access this data to offer timely discounts and promotions during low-demand periods, maximizing occupancy rates and revenue.
2. Secure data governance
Ensuring that only the right people have access to the right data will mitigate risks of security or data breaches. This not only protects sensitive information but also helps in complying with legal regulations and maintaining the company's reputation. Secure data access gives you and your company peace of mind over these often daunting legal rules and regulations.
Example: Banks and financial institutions often work with sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII data) and have strict legal and compliance rules to adhere to as a result. These companies will need clear procedures in place around data access, such as ring fencing access to PII data to only team members who are authorized to see it.
3. Cross-departmental collaboration
Effective data access facilitates better collaboration across different departments. When relevant data is accessible, teams such as sales, marketing, and product development can work together more efficiently, sharing insights and aligning their efforts toward common business goals.
Example: In the retail industry, teams across Product and Marketing can collaborate on their data. They can analyze buying patterns and track the performance of their products to make key decisions on things like ad spend, targeted promotions, and product development or discontinuation.
4. Increased accountability and transparency
With clear data access policies and proper documentation, it becomes easier to track who has access to what data and how it is being used. This accountability ensures that data is used responsibly and ethically, fostering a culture of transparency within the organization.
Example: Agencies that manage large amounts of their clients’ data will typically implement data access policies and maintain access logs. Regular reviews and audits are conducted to ensure that data is accessed only by authorized personnel for legitimate purposes. This approach enhances accountability, ensures that client data is managed transparently and ethically, and ultimately builds trust with their clients.
4 steps to implementing data access
Implementing effective data access can feel daunting if you’re starting from scratch, and you may worry about getting it wrong. Here are some handy steps to follow when getting your data access all squared up:
1. Set control privileges:
Define who within the organization has access to different types of data. Ensure that access to sensitive information, such as PII data, is restricted on a need-to-know basis.
Checklist:
- What types of data does your organization hold?
- Who needs access to each type of data?
2. Document access and ownership:
Maintain detailed records of who owns access to each data source. This includes documenting account owners, authorization types, and tracking access requests.
Checklist:
- Who is the owner, and who has access to each data source?
- Is there a process to update documentation regularly as access is granted or revoked?
3. Assign user permissions:
Different users require different levels of access based on their roles. Define clear permissions for data analysts, business analysts, data scientists, business leaders, etc.
Checklist:
- What are the roles that require data access?
- What level of access is needed for each role?
- Is there a process to review and update user permissions?
4. Establish data stewardship:
Appoint data stewards responsible for overseeing data access, quality, and compliance. Data stewards ensure that data governance frameworks are adhered to and that data remains accurate and secure.
Checklist:
- Does data stewardship currently exist in your business?
- Do you have a framework for data ownership and how it relates to data governance and its processes?
You can grab a downloadable version of this template for setting up data access here!
Risks of not implementing data access properly
Properly managing data access is crucial, yet it's often overlooked until problems arise. Failing to implement data access properly can be critical, and by acknowledging the risks ahead of time, we can better understand its importance and prevent potential issues.
Here are some of the risks associated with not implementing data access correctly:
- Data breaches: Poor data access can expose sensitive data to unauthorized users, leading to security breaches and loss of customer trust.
- Non-compliance: Many industries are subject to strict data privacy regulations. Mismanaged data access can result in non-compliance, leading to legal penalties, fines, and reputational damage.
- Data inaccuracies: Without well-managed data access, data can become fragmented, duplicated, and inconsistent, leading to inaccurate insights and poor decision-making.
- Operational inefficiencies: When teams are unable to access the data they need with ease, business processes are slowed. This hinders the ability of marketing teams to respond swiftly to market changes.
Common challenges to implementing data access
Clearly, data access is a critical part of data management — so, what’s stopping marketing teams from mastering data access?
Here are a few common challenges that marketing teams face when implementing a solid data access strategy and a few tips on how to tackle them.
1. Lack of clear policies
Without clear policies and procedures, data access can quickly become disorganized and insecure. Make sure you develop and enforce comprehensive data access policies specific to your organization’s needs.
2. Inadequate training
Your staff needs to understand how to access and use data responsibly, as well as have clear guidelines to be able to spot any potential data breaches. Provide regular, easy-to-digest training and resources to ensure compliance and efficiency.
3. Overly restrictive access
While security is important, overly restrictive access can hinder productivity. Strive for a balance between security and accessibility, and always keep in line with your organization’s legal and security requirements.
4. Failure to monitor access
A major challenge is the failure to monitor data access consistently. Without regular reviews, unauthorized or unusual activity can slip through the cracks. Using monitoring tools can help detect and address these issues promptly.
Implementing a solid data access strategy can be challenging, with common issues like unclear policies, inadequate training, and overly restrictive access often getting in the way. By addressing these challenges head-on and ensuring continuous monitoring, marketing teams can create a more efficient and secure data environment.
Conclusion
Effective data access is crucial for maximizing the potential of your marketing efforts. By implementing robust data access governance, marketers can ensure that they have the right data at their fingertips to make informed decisions, personalize customer experiences, and drive business growth.
Always remember to follow any and all legal and security requirements that apply to your organization or any data you work with. By avoiding common pitfalls and maintaining a strong data governance framework, your organization can harness the full power of data to achieve your desired marketing success.
