Experian

Creating a Scalable Data Management Governance Framework

Experian collects and aggregates information on over 1 billion people globally. Leading Resolutions have provided multiple project management and data services to Experian over a number of years.

Experian plc is an Anglo-Irish multinational consumer credit reporting company.

Experian collects and aggregates information on over 1 billion people globally. Leading Resolutions have provided multiple project management and data services to Experian over a number of years.

The Challenge

Experian had excellent governance over their external data sets and wanted to extend this best-in-class practice to their internal product and client data, creating consistent governance over all of their systems and processes, manual data entry, data reconciliation and reference data.

The Solution

Leading Resolutions were engaged to design, create and embed a data management framework and methodology to cleanse the flow of product to client data across all systems and services

The first step was to undertake independent analysis of Experian’s systems, processes and data, documenting high level data flows and data lineage. We developed the target data governance framework and data operating model describing ownership roles, data definitions and data quality processes and defining how the framework would work operationally. We then assessed the baseline, reviewing the existing systems landscape, identifying technical requirements and completing a gap and risk analysis between “as is” and “to be”.

The next step was to create a plan for the proof of concept phase to embed the data framework and processes and cleanse the data. Working with the Experian team, we captured a list of immediate pain points and opportunities to be addressed within the proof of concept. Many of these issues were being addressed by other data related projects which were happening in parallel, so there were a large number of overlaps, all of which identified similar issues with master data management. The data management project led by Leading Resolutions assumed the cross-functional remit, connecting the different projects and removing duplication and managing dependencies. This was a large-scale project touching most areas of the organisation, requiring us to create and maintain alignment across over 50 stakeholders with data definitions drafted for approval via our established governance model.

The Results

Immediate benefit was delivered through addressing pain points and pulling together a cross-functional data management remit, avoiding conflicting priorities across multiple projects. Our collaborative approach to knowledge transfer ensured that the Experian team was self-sufficient going forward; we supported the recruitment of staff to do this on an ongoing basis, embedding the new processes underpinned by documented strategy, governance framework and data management processes.