When one of the nation’s largest and most respected credit unions recognized that inconsistent data governance was slowing decision-making and impacting cross-functional collaboration, they launched an ambitious enterprise-wide Data Quality Program. The goal: to unify stakeholders, establish consistent standards, and create a sustainable framework for trusted, high-quality data.
One of ConsultNet’s seasoned consultants has been instrumental in driving this transformation by leveraging deep expertise in data governance, technology implementation, and enterprise program design to align stakeholders, modernize processes, and deliver measurable results across the organization.
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
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- Enterprise-wide System Inventory delivering a single, authoritative view of systems and sources
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- Source of Truth Program defining and validating authoritative data sources across the credit union
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- Ongoing Review Process preventing data from becoming outdated and ensuring long-term accuracy
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- Improved data literacy and cross-functional collaboration across business units
CHALLENGE
While the credit union had vast data resources, inconsistent governance processes and fragmented ownership made it difficult to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and trust. Data definitions varied across departments, systems were documented inconsistently, and critical information often became outdated.
The mandate was clear:
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- Build a unified Data Quality Program that supports regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and business growth
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- Align diverse stakeholders around shared governance standards
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- Create sustainable processes for maintaining accurate, accessible, and trusted data
SOLUTION
Design and implement data governance workflows using Collibra, Collibra Data Quality and Observability, SQL, Jira, and Confluence. These tools provided the foundation for assessing, monitoring, and improving data quality while creating collaborative spaces for tracking progress and aligning stakeholders.
Key initiatives included:
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- System Inventory Consolidation – Unifying and refining system names to create a single source of truth for the enterprise.
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- Source of Truth Program Launch – Defining and validating authoritative data sources, ensuring business units operate from consistent, trusted information.
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- Ongoing Review Process – Establishing procedures to keep system data current and prevent degradation over time.
These initiatives not only improved transparency and trust in data but also elevated the organization’s ability to make timely, informed decisions.
“I take pride in building programs that not only solve today’s data challenges but also create sustainable frameworks for the future. Seeing teams speak a common data language and confidently identify their trusted sources is the most rewarding part of my work.”
-Don Le, Data Governance Consultant
Delivering ENTERPRISE WIDE Impact
The credit union now has a unified view of its systems, enabling faster and more confident decision-making. Consistent data definitions improve collaboration, reduce duplicate work, and strengthen data literacy across teams. Governance policies are directly tied to business outcomes, ensuring data supports both compliance and growth.
This success comes from a cross-functional effort involving the Data Governance Team, Project Management, Vendor Management, Third-Party Risk, IT Operations, Identity Access Management, Database Administrators, and the NCUA. By embedding governance standards across compliance, technology, and business operations, the program has become an enterprise-wide transformation.
Unlike narrowly scoped projects, this initiative blends governance expertise with modern tools to create a scalable framework aligned with strategic objectives. For a large financial institution, trusted data is not just compliance—it’s a competitive edge.
