Perform a Data Audit

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Data issues are deeply rooted and extremely complex. Not only do organizations have trouble choosing a starting point for bad data, but they also have difficulty finding the root cause of the issue. As a result, data audits can be long, tedious initiatives, that offer little insight into the data issues.
Traditional data audits are too narrowly focused on security and compliance. Availability and trust issues need to be uncovered as well.
Organizations are not aware of all their data sources.
Organizations are conducting data audits that are ineffective, only focusing on issues and failing to get to the root of the problem.
Data audits are failing to provide insight into possible solutions and problem resolution.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

A combination of technical profiling and user profiling will help you understand where issues are and why they exist.
An annual data audit initiative will continually revise and fine-tune ongoing practices, processes, and procedures for the management and handling of data within the organization.
You can’t do everything at once. Pick a process, see some early victories, gain momentum, and repeat.

Impact and Result

Prepare for the audit: Prepare in advance to make the audit process smoother and less time-intensive. Identify and create an inventory of all data sources that are within the scope of your data audit. Use these data sources to understand which users would provide a valuable, insightful interview. Schedule interviews and complete technical profiling.
Conduct audit: Interview relevant stakeholders identified in the audit preparation. Use insight from these interviews to complete user profiling. Update the data sources and data inventory with any information that may have been missed.
Analyze and assess results: Get to the root of the problem through conducting a root cause analysis. Find out why the issues are occurring.
Correct plan: You know what the issues are and you now know why they are being caused. Create the corrective plan through prioritizing initiatives and data activities. Use a combination of short-term and long-term initiatives.

Perform a Data Audit Research & Tools

1. Make the case for a data audit project

Gain a firm understanding of the value of data and how a data audit can assist in gaining a competitive advantage.

2. Structure the project

Complete a project charter to help document drivers, goals & objectives, the scope, project team, and key metrics.

3. Prepare for the data audit

Complete a data audit interview schedule and technical assessment identifying problem data trust issues.

4. Conduct the data audit

Create a summary of all key data issues from both user and technical profiling.

5. Review and analyze results from the data audit

Perform a root cause analysis addressing issues pertaining to the trust, availability, compliance, and security of data.

6. Create a corrective plan for data issues

Understand each data source and identify immediate opportunities for improvement.

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What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Table of Contents

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Guided Implementation 1: Prepare for a data audit

Call 1: Determine the benefits a data audit will provide.
Call 2: Prepare a context diagram, stakeholder interview schedule, and data source inventory for review.

Guided Implementation 2: Conduct the data audit and review results

Call 1: Complete user interviews and discuss results.
Call 2: Complete the root cause analysis/ fishbone diagram. Discuss results.
Call 3: Discuss the corrective plan and the short-term and long-term plans to rectify data issues.