Implementing Data Governance at Transportation Agencies: Volume 2: Communications Guide (2024)
Chapter: 5 Identifying Target Audiences
5. Identifying Target Audiences
“Speech belongs half to the speaker, half to the listener.”
‒ Michel de Montaigne, philosopher
Overview
This chapter covers the first of three key steps in communication: identifying your target audiences. This step comes first because the content of communications messages as well as the methods used to deliver the messages should be tailored to the recipient(s).
Typical Audiences for Data Governance Communications
Four broad types of audiences for data governance communications can be distinguished: (1) people who participate as members of data governance bodies, (2) people who are in a position to influence data governance success, (3) people who are data subject matter experts (SMEs) and may take on new or modified responsibilities as a result of a data governance initiative, and (4) people who may benefit from a data governance initiative. The primary focus of communications will vary for each of these groups – but all audiences will need an orientation to what data governance is, and how it will benefit the organization. The four audiences and the primary focus of communications for each one are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Target Audiences for Data Governance Communications
| Audience Category | Primary Focus of Communications |
|---|---|
| Data Governance (DG) Leaders People who will participate as data governance body members |
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| Influencers People who are in a position to influence the success of data governance initiatives – either positively or negatively (these include the Sponsors and People Managers referenced in the Prosci™ change management framework) |
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| Data Stewards Data SMEs whose responsibilities and products are impacted by data governance policies and processes |
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| Audience Category | Primary Focus of Communications |
|---|---|
| Beneficiaries People who will benefit from data governance initiatives through improved access to authoritative, reliable data |
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Table 4 maps some typical DOT positions to these four categories. Use this table to help identify target audiences and begin to group them based on the types of communications activities to be delivered. Note that some positions might fall into several categories. For example, the GIS lead may be a participant, influencer, and a beneficiary.
Table 4. Mapping of DOT Positions to Communications Audiences
| Role | DG Leader | Influencer | Steward | Beneficiary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executives: Agency Director, Chief, Deputy | X | X | ||
| Senior Managers: Division Directors, District/Region Administrators, Bureau Chiefs | X | X | X | |
| IT Managers: CIO/IT Director, Architecture and Applications Development Leads | X | X | X | |
| IT Technical Staff: IT staff with responsibility for data architecture, database administration, data integration, report development, data engineering | X | X | ||
| Analytics Leads: Business Intelligence, Reporting, Data Warehouse/Lake, Data Science | X | X | X | |
| Data Program Leads: GIS, HPMS/Highway Inventory, Traffic Monitoring, Safety Data, Land Surveys/Photogrammetry/Remote Sensing/Digital Delivery/BIM | X | X | X | X |
| Managers of Data-Intensive Programs: Maintenance Management, Asset Management, Performance Management, Financial Management, Planning and Programming, Procurement, System/Traffic Operations, Traffic Safety, Right-of-Way, Drivers and Motor Vehicles, Commercial Vehicle Operations | X | X | X | X |
| Data Managers and Specialists: associated with agency datasets across the full range of agency functional areas. | X | X | X | |
| Power Data Users: Data Scientists, Analysts, Engineers, Planners | (X)* | X | ||
| Research: Director and staff of research unit (concerned with availability of data supporting research and management of data generated through research projects) | X | X | ||
| Partners: Federal, state, and local partner agency staff (e.g., FHWA, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Planning Agencies, Transit Agencies, Cities and Towns) | X | X |
* A Power Data User may be a steward for derived data, though this may vary depending on the specific scope of their responsibilities.
Prioritizing Target Audiences
It may be necessary to prioritize target audiences to keep communications activities to a manageable level of effort. This is particularly true when it is necessary to have interactive conversations with people.
Three considerations for prioritizing target audiences are:
- Which individuals or groups will be most impacted by the initiative?
- Which individuals or groups are in the best position to advocate for the initiative?
- Which individuals or groups might present the biggest roadblocks to the initiative?
Often, the priority audiences will be obvious – for example, if the goal is to get executive buy-in to establish a data governance lead position, the focus will be on agency executives and a few other managers that the executives might consult for their opinions. If the goal is to set up data governance bodies, the primary audience will be potential participants in these data governance bodies – and (as appropriate), their managers. If a new data standard is being rolled out, the priority target audience will be anyone who is expected to use that standard or enable its implementation.
Sometimes, an initiative will require a phased or multi-layered approach to communications. For example, designating data stewards requires extensive communication with managers across the agency to identify the right people and get agreement on who should serve in this role. There may be 50 or more data stewards to designate, and it may not be feasible for the data governance staff to take on the entire scope of agency data in a single initiative. In this situation, certain divisions or program areas can be prioritized to tackle first. The choice of where to start may be based on multiple factors, such as:
- Business units or partners that have indicated strong interest in participating – to take on relatively easy targets first and show successes;
- Business units with upcoming major system implementations or upgrades where there is an immediate need for attention to data standardization, documentation and quality management;
- Business units responsible for foundational data that are used across multiple parts of the agency, where improved data management will have widespread benefits;
- Business units responsible for data essential to support agency priorities or special initiatives – e.g., safety, sustainability, project prioritization, or automated design and construction; and
- External partners whose support and participation is critical to the success of your planned initiative.
Another option is to use a layered approach – in which communications focuses first on enterprise or domain-level stewards representing major functional areas or data subject areas. Once these individuals are educated and motivated, they can be charged with communications activities within their areas to identify and enlist data stewards for more granular data subject areas.
See the Data Governance Implementation Guide, 6-Challenges (Engagement) for discussion of the importance of communications activities in getting active engagement from governance body members and stewards.
Example
The following presents an example of how to apply this approach to identifying and prioritizing target audiences for a specific data governance initiative.
Data Governance Initiative
Establish a new review process for data acquisition to avoid duplication and identify opportunities for different business units to collaborate.
Communication Goals
Ensure that affected employees (anyone involved in data collection or purchases) – understand why the new process is being implemented; understand the mechanics of the new process including steps, participants, and criteria; and feel confident that any concerns they have will be heard and addressed.
Target Audiences
Table 5 suggests target audiences for this initiatives and lists specific questions to be addressed in communications activities.
Table 5. Sample Target Audiences for a Data Acquisition Review Process
| Audience Category | Questions to Address in Communications |
|---|---|
Leaders
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Influencers
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Data Stewards and Custodians
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| Audience Category | Questions to Address in Communications |
|---|---|
Beneficiaries
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Priority target audiences are noted with asterisks (*) – selected based on their ability to influence the success or failure of the initiative.
See the Data Governance Implementation Guide, Chapter 5-Practices (Data Collection/Acquisition Oversight)
Summary
There are four types of audiences to be considered to plan communications for a data governance initiative, distinguished based on whether they are data governance leaders, influencers, data stewards, or beneficiaries. Use the list of DOT roles provided in this chapter to make a list of the individuals or groups within each of these four types to be targeted. As needed, narrow this list down based on the how critical each audience is to the success of your planned initiative(s). Then, identify the likely questions that each target audience might have about the initiative(s). This will prepare you to proceed with creating your communications content for each audience.
