Advisory Service
Data Governance
Establish control over data assets with classification, lineage, and policy enforcement across hybrid environments—before regulatory exposure or data sprawl becomes unmanageable.
The Problem: What Goes Wrong Without Data Governance
Data Sprawl Across Clouds
Data proliferates across Azure, AWS, GCP, and on-premises systems without visibility. Sensitive information appears in unexpected locations—developer sandboxes, test environments, third-party integrations—creating compliance blind spots.
Classification Gaps
Without consistent classification, PII, PHI, and financial data are treated identically to low-sensitivity information. Retention policies fail, access controls are inconsistent, and incident response lacks context.
Cross-Border Compliance Exposure
Organisations operating in Canada, the US, and Mexico face overlapping requirements: PIPEDA, state privacy laws, and Mexico's updated data protection regime (LFPDPPP amendments). Without unified governance, each jurisdiction creates separate risk.
No Ownership, No Accountability
Data stewards are undefined. Business units accumulate data without responsibility. When breaches or audits occur, no one can answer: who owns this data, where did it come from, and who has access?
Failure Patterns We See
- A healthcare organisation discovers patient records in an unencrypted S3 bucket during an audit—months after the data was copied there.
- A commercial real estate firm cannot demonstrate data residency compliance to a Mexican tenant because data flows were never mapped.
- An aviation simulation company fails to classify IP correctly, allowing contractors access to proprietary algorithms.
- A media company's data lake becomes a liability: terabytes of unclassified content with no lineage, no owners, and no retention policy.
- Board members ask "where is our sensitive data?" and leadership cannot provide a defensible answer.
What Changes in 30–90 Days
Data Discovery Completed
Comprehensive inventory of structured and unstructured data across all environments—cloud, on-premises, and SaaS.
Classification Framework Applied
Sensitivity labels aligned to regulatory requirements (PIPEDA, HIPAA, Mexico LFPDPPP) applied to critical data assets.
Data Lineage Mapped
Clear documentation of where data originates, how it flows, and where it resides—enabling compliance and incident response.
Ownership Assigned
Data stewards identified for each classification tier with defined responsibilities and escalation paths.
Governance Policies Documented
Retention, access, and handling policies documented and aligned to your regulatory obligations.
Board-Ready Reporting
Executive dashboard showing data risk posture, compliance status, and governance maturity metrics.
How We Work
Phase 1
Discovery & Assessment
- Data landscape mapping across all environments
- Stakeholder interviews with business and IT
- Regulatory requirement analysis (PIPEDA, HIPAA, Mexico)
- Current state governance maturity assessment
Phase 2
Classification & Policy Design
- Sensitivity classification taxonomy
- Data handling and retention policies
- Cross-border transfer requirements
- Microsoft Purview configuration design
Phase 3
Ownership & Accountability
- Data stewardship model
- RACI for data governance
- Escalation and exception processes
- Training requirements and materials
Phase 4
Implementation
- Microsoft Purview deployment
- Classification label rollout
- Automated discovery scans
- Policy enforcement configuration
Phase 5
Validation & Testing
- Classification accuracy validation
- Policy enforcement testing
- Cross-border compliance verification
- Incident response scenario testing
Phase 6
Transition & Empowerment
- Operational handover documentation
- Data steward training
- Executive reporting setup
- Ongoing governance cadence
Deliverables
- Data Governance Charter
- Data Classification Taxonomy
- Data Lineage Documentation
- Sensitivity Mapping Report
- Cross-Border Compliance Framework
- Retention and Handling Policies
- Data Stewardship Model and RACI
- Microsoft Purview Configuration Runbook
- Training Materials and Guides
- Executive Dashboard and Reporting Templates
- Governance Maturity Assessment (baseline and target)
- Board-Ready Summary Presentation
Timeline & Stakeholders
Typical Timeline
8–12 weeks for initial governance framework and tooling. Ongoing maturity development continues in quarterly cycles.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Executive Sponsor: CDO, CIO, or CISO
- Core Team: Data owners, privacy officers, compliance leads
- IT & Security: Cloud architects, security engineers
- Business Units: Department heads, data stewards
- Legal: Privacy counsel, regulatory affairs
Proof: Industry Examples
Healthcare
Regional Hospital Network
A multi-site hospital network discovered PHI in 47 unmanaged locations during our discovery phase. Within 60 days, we deployed Microsoft Purview with sensitivity labels aligned to HIPAA requirements, established data stewards for each clinical department, and reduced unclassified PHI exposure by 94%.
Mexico Enterprise
Manufacturing Corporation
A Mexico-based manufacturer needed to demonstrate LFPDPPP compliance to US and European partners. We mapped cross-border data flows, implemented classification for customer and employee data, and established a governance framework that satisfied three regulatory regimes within 90 days.
What We Will Not Do
- Sell tools without strategy: We do not deploy Purview or other platforms without first establishing the governance model they support.
- Create paper compliance: We do not deliver policies that exist only in documents. Every policy has an implementation path and enforcement mechanism.
- Ignore cross-border complexity: We do not treat Canada, US, and Mexico as a single jurisdiction. Each regime receives specific attention.
- Leave without ownership: We do not depart until data stewards are trained, accountable, and operating within a defined governance cadence.
Take Control of Your Data
Request an assessment to understand your current data governance maturity and create a roadmap to defensible, sustainable governance.