Data governance is a crucial practice for managing data throughout its lifecycle, ensuring it remains accurate, secure, and compliant with regulations, thereby enhancing decision-making and reducing risks of costly errors as demonstrated by past incidents at Samsung and Equifax. Effective data governance involves principles such as data quality management, data ownership and accessibility, data security, and compliance with laws like GDPR and CCPA. Various frameworks, including COBIT and DAMA-DMBoK, guide organizations in structuring their data governance efforts, despite challenges like integrating legacy systems and achieving leadership buy-in. Implementing a data governance program requires selecting a governance team, creating centralized specifications, documenting and reviewing data processes, and conducting quality assurance to maintain data integrity. Companies are encouraged to leverage built-in governance features of data platforms and maintain data catalogs to facilitate understanding and prevent errors amidst growing data democratization.