Slides: Taking an Active Approach to Data Governance

1 | Proprietary & Confidential
Taking an Active Approach
to Data Governance
Non-Invasive Data Governance at the Speed of Gaming
July 7, 2020

3 | © 2020 Alation, Inc. – All Rights Reserved.The Catalog is the Platform™
The Data Management Challenge of Our Lifetime
is Establishing a Data Culture
Data
Literacy
Enable proper
interpretation & analysis
Data
Governance
Take responsibility
& authority
Data Search
& Discovery
Find &
understand

Data Governance is Evolving from Centralized
to Distributed Responsibility
Guided Community Driven
Social Collaboration
Centralized
Command & Control
Centralized
Command & Control
Guided Community Driven
Social Collaboration

Following in the ‘Tradition’ of Modern Crowdsourcing and
Social Networking

John Wills
VP of Professional
Services
Chris Kudelka
Technical
Product Manager
Michael Leslie
Senior Data
Governance Architect
Bob Seiner
President
and Principal
People Centric,
Non-Invasive
Approach
Dynamic
Leadership
Catalog Platform
for Data Literacy
& Governance

Data Governance
at the Speed of Gaming

2009 Launch
Team Oriented Strategy PC
Game
140+ Playable Characters
Modern Fantasy
8 Million
Peak concurrent players
100 Million
Monthly active players
Riot Games Facts

1,000+ Hours
1 Billion+ Live
Hours
viewed during the 2019 Worlds Championship
44 Million Peak
Concurrent
for the World Finals
Global Esports
Phenomenon
10+ Divisions
of unique content generated in 2019
10 professional teams per division
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3
Season 4 Season 5 Season 6
Season 7 Season 8
Season 9 (2019)
League of Legends

RIOT GAMES // USE CASES
Exciting things we do with data
• Continually balance the game to supporting a global Esport and competitive league
• Reward and punish players for region-based inappropriate behavior and language
• Use machine learning to test our product assumptions before they go to market
• Reward player engagement on 3rd party platforms with benefits in our games
• Detect and prevent cheating and hacking
• Optimize our low-latency gaming network

Many of our technical data challenges come from running services for millions of players at scale,
with many technologies, global operations, and constant demands for just-in-time, relevant
information
RIOT GAMES // DATA CHALLENGES

RIOT GAMES // DATA CHALLENGES
Many of our data management challenges come from use of informal information channels,
disconnected and undocumented processes, and unrecognized people who have key
relationships to data

2019-2020: 4 new titles, with more on the way
♦ New Platforms ♦ New Genres ♦ New Media
Riot Games: Transformation
Putting the “s” in games

● From Informal to formal channels
● From unrecognized to recognized
relationships to data
● Keeps pace with our rapid
transformations without being
disruptive
● If it slows us down, it just won’t
work
Choosing non-invasive governance as our framework
INTRODUCING DATA GOVERNANCE TO RIOT

● Stays up-to-date with our metadata
● People and stewardship focused
● Works with our technologies
● Measurably changes behaviors
Choosing Alation to work with our technology and improve our
collaboration

More content, more curation, more visibility, more engagement

“If you build it, they
will come”
approach =
uncertain future

Non-invasive
approach
introduced
New games launch
with confidence
Data Warehouse team
committed to using Alation
“If you build it, they
will come”
approach =
uncertain future

Slides: Taking an Active Approach to Data Governance

It's fantastic when I can't remember which schema something is in, or the
exact name. I also like the samples because I don't have to wait for
Databricks or fuss with partition predicates in my head.”
I was not actively using Alation, having tried to use it a bit many months
ago and having little luck finding what I was looking for. [Alation at Riot]
has come a long ways. I look forward to using Alation more frequently in
the future.”
100% of survey respondents
say Alation saves them time finding data
(55% strongly agree)
It's usually faster to see lineage in Alation rather than tracking tables through
production scripts in Databricks!”
“
“
“

Strengthen engagement at the
operational level
● Leadership recognition for participation
● Support & Rewards for catalog
engagement
● Data Quality and Data Privacy in the
catalog
Formalize stewardship at tactical and
strategic level
● Recognize domain stewards, data
accountability and authority
● Leverage upcoming features from Alation
for data domains
LOOKING AHEAD FOR RIOT DATA GOVERNANCE

Non-Invasive Data Governance™
(NIDG)

Robert S. (Bob) Seiner
• Bob Seiner is the publisher of The Data Administration Newsletter (TDAN.com) – and has been since it was
introduced in 1997 – providing valuable content for people that work in Information & Data Management and
related fields. TDAN.com is known for its timely and relevant articles, columns and features from thought-leaders
and practitioners. Seiner and TDAN.com were recognized by DAMA International for significant and demonstrable
contributions to Information and Data Resource Management industries.
• Seiner is the President and Principal of KIK Consulting & Educational Services (KIKconsulting.com), a data and
information management consultancy that he started in 2002, providing practical and cost-effective solutions in
the disciplines of data governance, data stewardship, metadata management and data strategy. Seiner is a
recognized industry thought-leader, has consulted with and educated many prominent organizations nationally
and globally, and is known for his unique approach to implementing data governance.
• Seiner’s book “Non-Invasive Data Governance: The Path of Least Resistance and Greatest Success” was published
in late 2014. Seiner speaks often at the industry’s leading conferences and provides a monthly webinar series
titled “Real-World Data Governance” with DATAVERSITY on the 3rd Thursday each month.

Non-Invasive Data Governance Primer
Definitions
• Data Governance is “the execution and enforcement of authority over the definition, production and usage of
data and data-related assets.”
• Data Stewardship is “ the formalization of accountability over the definition, production and usage of
• Metadata is “ data, recorded in IT tools, that improves both the business and technical understanding of
• Non-Invasive Data Governance describes the approach that is taken and how Data Governance is applied to
NIDG Quoteables:
• “The data and metadata will not govern themselves.”
• “Everybody is a Data Steward; Get Over It!”

The Non-Invasive Data Governance™ Framework
EXECUTIVE
STRATEGIC
TACTICAL
OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT
Copyright © 2020 – Robert S. Seiner and KIK Consulting & Educational Services, LLC
Levels
Components
ROLES
COMMUNICATIONS
TOOLS
METRICS
PROCESSES
NON-INVASIVE DATA GOVERNANCE™ FRAMEWORK
DATA
LEVELS
EXECUTIVE – SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
STRATEGIC – BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY MGMT
TACTICAL – SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE
OPERATIONAL – DAILY JOB FUNCTION
SUPPORT – FUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT
COMPONENTS
DATA – ASSETS BEING GOVERNED
ROLES – FORMAL ACCOUNTABILITY
PROCESSES – APPLICATION / ENFORCEMENT
COMMUNICATIONS – EDUC, TRN, AWARENESS
METRICS – MEASUREMENTS and KPIs
TOOLS – ARTIFACTS PURCHASED / DEVELOPED
Endorse
Enforce
Authorize
Direct
Approve
Prioritize
Resolve
EXECUTIVE
STRATEGIC
TACTICAL
OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT
Facilitate
Mediate
Promote
Operate
Manage
Handle
Formalize
Adhere
Enforce
Approve
Act
Acceptance
Participation
Performance
Subject
Quality
Metrics
Accountability
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Collect
Report
Policy
Directive
Audit
Charter
Best Practices
Guidelines
Roadmap
Standards
Requirements
Workflows
Glossary
Dictionary
Catalog
Repository
DG Tools
Metadata Tools
KIK Artifacts
Support
Sponsor
Understand
Status
Evaluate
Commend
Standards
Subject Area
Project
Orientation
Onboard
Ongoing
Plan
Develop
Deliver
Leadership
Steering
Committee
Preside
DG Program
DG Council
Domain Stewards
Data Owners
SMEs
Operational
Data Stewards
Users
Prog Mgmt
Admin
Work Groups
Partners
Levels
Components
ROLES
COMMUNICATIONS
TOOLS
METRICS
PROCESSES
NON-INVASIVE DATA GOVERNANCE™ FRAMEWORK
Leadership
Dashboard
KPIs
Enterprise
Performance
Subject Area
X-Business Unit
Business Unit
Function
Accountability
Inventory
Metadata
DATA
LEVELS
EXECUTIVE – SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
STRATEGIC – BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY MGMT
TACTICAL – SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE
OPERATIONAL – DAILY JOB FUNCTION
SUPPORT – FUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT
COMPONENTS

Reasons Why Organizations Implement Data Governance – Purpose Statements
• To Improve Data Quality – “To provide confidence in strategic data.”
• To Improve Data Protection – “To protect classified / sensitive data and information.”
• To Improve Data Ownership – “To recognize the people that ‘own’ the data, information, systems and processes.”
• To Improve Data Understanding – “To strategically managing organizational data as an asset to achieve accurate,
trusted, and secure data to aid in business intelligence for improved decision making .”
• To Improve Data Access – “To enable and support improvements in access to data.”

Approaches to Data Governance
• Command-and-Control Approach – “Thou shall govern the data.”
• Traditional Approach – “If you build it, they will come.”
• Non-Invasive Approach – “You are already governing data; Formalize it!”

• Non-Invasive Approach – “You are already governing data.” Recognize
Formalize
Roles
Apply to
Process
ROLES
PROCESS
COMMUNICATIONS
METRICS
TOOLS
You Already
Do This
Measure
Advancement
Leverage
Build
Purchase
Identify
Roles
Single
Process
You Should
Do This
Measure
Data
Leverage
Existing
APPROACHES
COMMAND and CONTROL – LIMITED COVERAGE
TRADITIONAL – RESPONSIVE COVERAGE
NON-INVASIVE – COMPLETE COVERAGE
COMPONENTS
Components
Governance Approaches
TRADITIONAL
NON-INVASIVE
DATA GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK COMPARISON
Assign
Roles
New
Process
You Will
Do This
Measure
Value
Purchase
First
COMMANDandCONTROL
Data
Information
Records
Knowledge
DATA
Data
Information
Data
Assign People into Roles
vs.
Identify People into Roles
vs.
Recognize People into Roles
Differences
↓

Formalize
Roles
Apply to
Process
ROLES
PROCESS
COMMUNICATIONS
METRICS
TOOLS
You Already
Do This
Measure
Advancement
Leverage
Build
Purchase
Identify
Roles
Single
Process
You Should
Do This
Measure
Data
Leverage
Existing
APPROACHES
COMPONENTS
Components
TRADITIONAL
NON-INVASIVE
Assign
Roles
New
Process
You Will
Do This
Measure
Value
Purchase
First
COMMANDandCONTROL
Data
Information
Records
Knowledge
DATA
Data
Information
Data
New Processes
vs.
Single Process
vs.
Apply to Process
Differences
↓

Formalize
Roles
Apply to
Process
ROLES
PROCESS
COMMUNICATIONS
METRICS
TOOLS
You Already
Do This
Measure
Advancement
Leverage
Build
Purchase
Identify
Roles
Single
Process
You Should
Do This
Measure
Data
Leverage
Existing
APPROACHES
COMPONENTS
Components
TRADITIONAL
NON-INVASIVE
Assign
Roles
New
Process
You Will
Do This
Measure
Value
Purchase
First
COMMANDandCONTROL
Data
Information
Records
Knowledge
DATA
Data
Information
Data
You Will Govern Data
vs.
You Should Govern Data
vs.
You Already Govern Data
Differences
↓

Formalize
Roles
Apply to
Process
ROLES
PROCESS
COMMUNICATIONS
METRICS
TOOLS
You Already
Do This
Measure
Advancement
Leverage
Build
Purchase
Identify
Roles
Single
Process
You Should
Do This
Measure
Data
Leverage
Existing
APPROACHES
COMPONENTS
Components
TRADITIONAL
NON-INVASIVE
Assign
Roles
New
Process
You Will
Do This
Measure
Value
Purchase
First
COMMANDandCONTROL
Data
Information
Records
Knowledge
DATA
Data
Information
Data
Purchase a Tool First
vs.
Leverage Existing Tools
vs.
Leverage, Build, Purchase Tools
Differences
↓

What Makes Non-Invasive Data Governance Different (Better?)
• Many organizations view Data Governance as being over-and-above normal work efforts and threatening to the
existing work culture of the organization. It does not have to be that way.
• Many organizations have a difficult time getting people to adopt Data Governance best practices because of a
common belief that Data Governance is about command-and-control. It does not have to be that way.
• While I firmly state that Data Governance is “the execution and enforcement of authority over the management
of data”, nowhere in that definition does it say that Data Governance must be invasive or threatening to the
work, people and culture of the organization. It does not have to be that way.

What Makes Non-Invasive Data Governance Different (Better?)
• Steward responsibilities are identified and recognized, formalized and engaged according to their existing
responsibility rather than being assigned or handed to people as more work.
• The governance of information can deliver quick value as it is applied to existing policies, standard operating
procedures, practices, and methodologies … rather than being introduced as new processes or methods.
• The governance of information augments and supports all data integration, risk management, business
intelligence and master data management activities rather than imposing inconsistent rigor to these initiatives.
• Specific attention is paid to assuring senior management’s understanding of a practical and non-threatening yet
effective approach to governing information that will be taken to mediate ownership and promote stewarding of
data as a cross-organization asset, rather than the traditional method of “you will do this”.
• Best practices and key concepts of the non-threatening approach are communicated effectively, compared to
existing practices to identify, and leverage strengths and enable the ability to address opportunities to improve.

NIDG is the Frictionless Approach
Why the NIDG Approach Causes Less Friction
• The Non-Invasive Data Governance approach is less threatening, and people will take notice.
• You are already governing your data, but it is not being done efficiently or effectively.
• Recognizing and formalize accountability rather than assigning accountability.
• NIDG results in the application of governance to process, not new or a single process.
• NIDG is the most practical, pragmatic and sensible method to apply data governance.
• Practical (and necessary) for metadata, master data, analytical platforms, data warehouses and lakes.
• Emphasizes the need for effective data documentation (metadata) and the use of a data catalog.

Examples of How Data Catalogs are Incorporated Into Data Governance Solutions
• Data Intelligence Solutions – Document Data Warehouse, Data Lake, Analytical Platform Lineage
• Data Quality Solutions – Business Rules, Data Standards, Acceptable Values, Data Profiling Models
• Data Protection Solutions – Regulatory & Policy Management, Data Classification, Handling Rules

Examples of How Data Catalogs are Incorporated Into Data Governance Solutions
• Data Integration Solutions – Data Combination Rules, Suggested Integration Strategies, Business Usage Rules
• Data Access Solutions – Inventory, Accountability, Data Sharing Agreements, Permissioning, Usage
• Data Understanding Solutions – Business Glossary, Data Dictionary, Behavioral Information (“Ownership”)

Active Data Governance

Alation Active Data Governance Process
Key Characteristics
• Pragmatic, not theoretical
• Business, not IT-centric
• Incremental, not 'big-bang'
implementation
• Community driven, not
committee controlled
• Guided, not gated participation
• Employee value, not steward &
IT centric value
• Data usage, not
documentation dead ends

Using Popularity and Top User to Recruit and Assign

Associating Policies

Surfacing Policies at the Time of Use

Curation Completeness and Quality Reporting

Collaborating & Sharing with Conversations & Flags

Q&A

Thank You!
To learn more about how Alation supports data governance:
Alation.com/DataGovernance

Slides: Taking an Active Approach to Data Governance

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Slides: Taking an Active Approach to Data Governance