Who is typically NOT a member of a Data Governance Council?

The Data Governance Council is comprised of key stakeholders in an organization who are responsible for establishing policies, standards, and practices surrounding data management. Typically, members include Data Owners, who have accountability for the data within specific domains; Data Stewards, who manage the data quality and ensure adherence to data governance policies; and Data Analysts, who work with the data to generate insights.

External Auditors, on the other hand, are generally not part of the Data Governance Council. Their role is usually to evaluate the organization’s compliance with regulations and standards from an external perspective, focusing on assessing risk and the governance framework after the fact rather than actively participating in the development and implementation of governance policies. This separation of roles helps maintain an objective view regarding compliance and accountability, which is crucial in auditing processes. Thus, while external auditors have important roles in data governance through audits and assessments, they do not typically participate in the governance council’s internal decision-making processes.