There's a lot of interest in our experiences delivering data governance capabilites. But that's not because our clients want to see us huddled in their hallways on Monday morning, our 1-pump double-shot Pumpkin Spice Lattes half gone (it is fall now, after all, and the frappuccinos are SO five weeks ago!), our laptops collectively warming up in anticipation of another fun-filled data governance workshop.

While I have a few different theories about the traction our data governance services are getting I believe the main reason is this: people--usually IT people--realize that in order to get business buy-in, they need to establish a common vocabulary around data governance. The kickoff-and-cold cuts approach to data governance that I've discouraged in the past doesn't give the IT visionaries either the credibility ("Why are we in another meeting about data?") or the organizational authority ("I'm not participating in this unless someone tells me I have to") that it needs to engage business people in a sustained dialog about managing data as a corporate asset.

Indeed the common vocabulary is critical. And I don't mean explaining to end users for the ninth time why metadata is important or catching an executive in the break room long enough to expound on how the semantic web will change life as we know it. I mean introducing the concept of a data trustee council, discussing how decision rights work and why data quality should be measured according to business benefits.

As with any initiative that involves business and IT alignment (and data governance is by its definition business-driven and IT-enabled), introducing data governance into an organization requires missionary work. Maybe your internal team can begin proselytizing data governance. Maybe you can even link it to an active and high-profile initiative in your firm. Maybe your business users, driven by a little curiosity and perhaps even a double-shot latte, could simply use a nudge.

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