Federated data governance without the process tax

Overly rigid governance can become a “process tax” that slows delivery even as data and compliance demands rise. The post argues for shifting from centralized, approval-heavy models to federated governance: define shared standards centrally, but delegate execution to domain teams. It also recommends treating data as products with clear ownership so quality, access, and policy adherence have accountable decision-makers. Finally, it suggests automating guardrails by embedding compliance into the technical architecture so governance becomes continuous rather than a stop-and-go checkpoint.