Start Simple, Scale Smart: Applying Occam’s Razor to Data Governance Initiatives

In theory, data governance should be the backbone of every data-driven organization. In practice, it too often collapses under its own weight.

The mistake? Trying to solve everything at once.

Many governance programs begin with grand ambitions: comprehensive frameworks, exhaustive policies, enterprise-wide taxonomies, committees, councils, and charters. The result? Paralysis, resistance, and fatigue. Nothing gets adopted. The business tunes out.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Occam’s Razor teaches us that the simplest solution that gets the job done is usually the best. Applied to data governance, this principle is a lifeline for data leaders trying to drive adoption, business value, and cultural change.

Stop overengineering

Early-stage governance efforts often fall into the trap of complexity:

-          Dozens of policies no one reads

-          Stewardship roles no one wants

-          Tool-heavy implementations before solving actual problems

All of this creates noise. And noise kills momentum.

Instead of building the perfect model, ask: What’s the smallest number of rules, roles, and workflows we need to deliver value? Then start there.

Pick one domain, one use case

Governance only matters when it changes something that matters to the business.

So rather than spreading efforts thin across every domain, zoom in:

-          Pick one business domain where data pain is visible

-          Choose a use case with measurable business impact

-          Involve the people closest to the problem

Maybe it’s fixing customer duplicates in CRM. Or making product attributes consistent for e-commerce. Solve one problem. Deliver value. Then communicate the win.

Cut through the noise

Occam’s Razor is a strategic tool for prioritization:

-          Which policies will reduce rework today?

-          Which roles need clarity now?

-          What feedback loop can we establish this month?

Avoid the temptation to define everything upfront. Let the framework evolve based on feedback, adoption, and measurable outcomes.

Governance that grows with you

When you apply Occam’s Razor, governance becomes something people want to engage with not avoid. It becomes a business enabler, not an IT project.

Start with the smallest viable structure.

Solve real problems.

Scale what works.

Because the goal isn’t to design the most comprehensive governance model.

It’s to build one that delivers outcomes and earns the right to grow.