Newsletter - May 2026

Dear Data People

As the year gallops along, most of us have been implementing strategies introduced a few months back. 

Inevitably, many of these have focused on AI and it’s impact on how data is collected, stored, managed and used. But, wheras attention may have been on ‘where’ the emphasis seems to have shifted to ‘how’. How quality, how reliability and above all how trust comes into play with AI’s increasing role. 

In this month’s newsletter, our curated selection shows how data management and data governance must work in tandem, and explores data quality in the age of generative AI. We also examine the limitations we’re all up against in navigating the future of artificial intelligence. 

We’re also proud to welcome a new partner! Scroll down to find out more.

Data Governance vs Data Management

It is easy to assume that a good tech stack automatically implies a governed one, but as Andreas Horn highlights, data management and data governance are two separate disciplines that must work in tandem.

It's possibly the oldest mistake in the book. 

Below are some key points on why aligning governance with management is crucial in modern data systems. 👇

Why Influence is the Operating Model for Data Governance

It’s about showing people the problems they’re already living with… and making governance feel like relief, not overhead.” 

Ashley Persson perfectly frames the goal intent of any data professional trying to win over their organisation to their data governance initiative. 👏

We love her use of the word ‘relief’ here. That is exactly what it should feel like! 

For many of our colleagues on the business side of things, data is mostly a source of daily anxiety. People have no headspace to view it as a strategic asset. 

To move away from being the policy enforcers, it’s a great idea to show business teams how data governance cures the specific pains they’ve just learned to live with.

In almost every department, there is someone who spends their Sunday evenings manually deduplicating spreadsheets or fixing names on a report. They’ve accepted this as part of their job.

Read more

The Biggest Myth in Data Teams

Data professionals are often expected to be conductors of any and all things pertaining to data in an organisation. From managing technology, mediating between fluctuating business logic, technical debt, and organisational silos. 

It is a state of constant recalibration that can make the role uniquely exhausting! 

For high-level practitioners looking to move from reactive to systemic working, here are five strategic pivots to look to 👇

Curious?

AI’s Immune System

While it cannot be seen as belonging in the hands of IT any more, enterprise data management could be thought of as somewhat of an ‘immune system’ for AI. 

Insights from Databricks suggest that enterprise data management (EDM) has changed quite a bit from what it used to be and what was expected of it. 

Here are some key take-outs from the article:

Read more

New partner:

🤝 DAMA UK is pleased to announce a new partnership!

📚 We’re teaming up with Technics Publications, a publisher dedicated to high-quality documentation and instruction manuals across a variety of niches, including Data Strategy, Governance, Certification, Architecture, Design, and Intelligence.

Their books are focused on providing readers with simple, practical, and easy-to-follow insights that prioritise clarity and real-world application over complexity. Their extensive catalogue even includes our flagship title - the DMBOK!

✨ And… There's some exciting news - this new partnership comes with some added perks exclusive to DAMA UK members. 

🎉 Technics Publications is offering a 25% discount for DAMA UK members only. You can request the code by emailing [email protected]. Discount does not apply to DMBoKv2.

👉 You can find out more by clicking the link here: https://www.dama-uk.org/pages/TechnicsPublications

DAMA UK 2026 Data Management Professional Awards

The DAMA UK 2026 Data Management Professional Awards are coming - are you ready?

We've had the Oscars, we've had the BAFTAs, but the one that really matters is coming... 

Nominations open on 12 June. Start thinking about the wonderful achievements your Data teams have delivered.

Sponsors

Finally, we would like to say a HUGE thank you to our brilliant sponsors, who support DAMA UK on our mission to nurture a talented community of data professionals championing the value of data management across the UK.

and our Partners