Most organisations think they’re doing data governance. The truth is, they’re just ticking boxes, and it’s costing them.

 

The Terms and Conditions Applied series cuts through the noise surrounding data governance with straightforward, practical insight into why governance efforts often stall and what to do differently. Designed for business and technical audiences alike, the series offers:

 

  • Practical strategies for evolving governance from tick-box compliance to a scalable, value-driven capability.
  • Clarity on the often-misunderstood roles of metadata management and MDM in a complete governance framework.
  • A blueprint for turning proof of concept efforts into robust, scalable governance solutions.
  • Guidance on integrating governance seamlessly into enterprise-wide data strategies.
  • A forward-looking view of how AI, automation, and real-time governance are reshaping the landscape.

 

Over eight instalments, Terms and Conditions Applied challenges conventional thinking and provides actionable guidance drawn from real-world experience. The goal? To help organisations turn governance from an overhead into a genuine competitive advantage.

From PoC to MVP

This is the fourth post in the Terms and Conditions Applied series. So far, we’ve discussed how governance is often the weak link slowing down data initiatives, the importance of integrating complementary tools into a coherent framework and how taking a product-oriented approach can unlock greater value and adoption.

 

Proof of Concepts are meant to be stepping stones, but too often, they become dead ends. Why do so many early wins fail to translate into sustained progress? It’s a scenario we encounter frequently: organisations complete Proof of Concept (PoC) work with tools like Microsoft Purview, achieve some early success, and then hit a wall. Common challenges include a lack of strategic alignment, absence of clear ownership, or insufficient integration with broader business objectives. Without addressing these factors, even successful PoCs can fail to progress into lasting, enterprise-wide governance capabilities.

 

 

Why PoCs matter (but shouldn’t be the final step)

PoCs are valuable. They allow organisations to test the capabilities of a tool, build initial use cases, and demonstrate tangible results. In the case of Purview, a PoC might involve setting up a small-scale environment to scan and classify assets, establish lineage, or test discoverability across a limited scope.

 

However, PoCs are often designed to demonstrate feasibility or prove a specific capability without addressing broader governance requirements such as scalability, integration, and strategic alignment. Without a clear path to maturity, even successful PoCs can fail to deliver lasting impact.

 

An MVP, by contrast, takes the initial success of a PoC and builds on it to create something that is scalable, measurable, and continuously evolving. While PoCs are often isolated demonstrations, an MVP is designed for real-world application, with defined ownership, structured feedback loops, and clear alignment to business objectives. The aim is to turn early wins into sustainable value. Unlike PoCs, MVPs are designed to evolve, with defined ownership, structured feedback loops, and alignment to business objectives.

 

 

Making the transition

Moving from PoC to MVP requires intention and planning. It means going beyond proving that a tool works to embedding its capabilities within a structured, value-driven framework.

 

To make this transition, organisations need to:

  • Define success criteria early – Establish what success looks like not just for the PoC, but for its evolution into an MVP. Are you looking to achieve full data lineage visibility? Improved data quality? Enhanced metadata discovery? Whatever the objectives, they should be measurable and aligned to business outcomes.
  • Establish a roadmap – A PoC is a snapshot. An MVP is a journey. Creating a roadmap that outlines the stages of growth, from initial implementation to full-scale adoption, provides a structure for ongoing progress.
  • Integrate governance objectives with business priorities – Governance shouldn’t exist in isolation. Whether the focus is on compliance, operational efficiency, or better decision-making, governance frameworks should be aligned to real business needs. This alignment helps maintain momentum beyond the PoC stage.
  • Incorporate feedback loops – Just as discussed in the last post about governance as a product, the ability to iterate and improve is essential. Feedback from users, business stakeholders, and governance teams should be part of the ongoing process.

 

 

Bridging the GAP from PoC to MVP

At Telefónica Tech, our Governance Accelerator Programme (GAP) is designed to help organisations turn PoCs into scalable MVPs by providing structure and clarity around governance ownership, strategic alignment, and continuous improvement. By focusing on establishing ownership and measurable outcomes, GAP supports the transition from isolated successes to sustained value, regardless of the specific framework employed.

 

GAP’s approach isn’t about discarding what worked during the PoC phase. Instead, it focuses on building on that foundation through structured growth. Establishing ownership, setting clear OKRs, and aligning governance initiatives with broader business objectives all contribute to turning isolated success into long-term impact.

 

Example: For instance, an organisation may implement Purview to map data lineage within a specific department. While the PoC successfully proves the tool’s capability, the initiative stalls due to a lack of strategic alignment and ownership. By applying GAP, the same organisation establishes a scalable framework that integrates Purview across the enterprise, with clear ownership and measurable outcomes.

 

 

The bigger picture

Moving from PoC to MVP is about creating a structured pathway for growth—one that acknowledges early wins but uses them as a foundation for something much more substantial. This transition is crucial for building governance capabilities that are sustainable, scalable, and aligned to business priorities.

 

Successfully transitioning from PoC to MVP is essential, but demonstrating value at an executive level is what ultimately drives enterprise-wide adoption. Next, we’ll discuss how to build a compelling business case for governance when engaging with senior leadership.

 

#DataGovernance #Metadata #Purview #Compliance #Analytics #TelefónicaTech #TermsAndConditionsApplied

 

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