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Data Governance

What Are the Principles of Data Governance? The 10 Core Principles

The core principles of data governance explained: accountability, transparency, integrity, stewardship, and more — with CDMP exam context and practical examples.

CDMP Master Academy·1 March 2025·10 min read

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A professional-level summary covering key definitions, frameworks, and exam-relevant points.

DMBOK Governance Principles

The DAMA DMBOK v2 identifies several core data governance principles that should underpin any governance programme. These principles reflect the values of the data management profession and provide the philosophical foundation for governance policies and decisions.

Key Principles and Their Governance Implications

PrincipleGovernance Implication
AccountabilityEvery data domain must have a named Data Owner with formal accountability
TransparencyGovernance decisions and policies must be documented and communicated
IntegrityData quality standards must be defined, measured, and enforced
StewardshipData Stewards must be appointed and empowered for each domain
ComplianceGovernance programme must map to regulatory requirements
StandardisationCommon data definitions and formats must be established and enforced
CollaborationGovernance council must include both business and IT representation
ValueGovernance ROI must be measured and reported to executive sponsors
ProportionalityCritical Data Elements (CDEs) receive highest governance priority
Continuous ImprovementGovernance maturity must be assessed and improvement plans maintained

CDMP Exam Relevance

Governance principles appear in CDMP questions that ask candidates to evaluate governance programme designs or identify which principle is being violated in a scenario. The proportionality principle is particularly frequently tested — questions often describe a scenario where excessive governance is being applied to low-value data, and ask which principle is being violated.

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