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A smarter, leaner approach to data governance
Most organizations collect more data than they need.
And most don’t realize how much it’s costing them in risk, complexity, and compliance exposure.
The Minimum Necessary Standard (MNS) offers a way forward.
It simplifies governance, strengthens compliance, and helps your teams focus on what really matters.
What is the Minimum Necessary Standard?
The concept is simple:
Only collect, process, and retain the data you truly need to meet your business goals.
By applying this standard, you reduce risk, ease the burden of compliance, and eliminate the noise that slows teams down.
MNS challenges that habit and replaces it with a smarter, more focused way to govern information. One that’s easier to maintain and better aligned with strategic outcomes.
How to Get Started with MNS
- Know what truly matters
Start by identifying the data your business actually depends on: revenue, compliance, customer service.
Don’t guess. Talk to stakeholders across teams to separate critical data from background noise.
This step defines your “necessary” and sets the foundation for everything that follows. - Understand your risks
Look at how your data moves, where it lives, and where things could go wrong.
Even small leaks or inaccuracies can have a big impact when you're handling sensitive or regulated data.
A basic risk assessment will help you focus your efforts where they matter most. - Build simple, strong policies
Create clear rules around how data is collected, used, and retired.
Make them easy to follow. These should be operational guidelines, not legal disclaimers.
Over time, your teams will treat data with intention, not just habit. - Assign real ownership
Every critical dataset needs someone who is responsible for its quality and use.
That might be a formal data steward or simply the person who uses it most.
What matters is accountability, because what’s owned gets cared for. - Use the tools you already have
You don’t need a massive platform to begin.
Start with shared documentation, audit trails, and usage logs.
As the process matures, add more advanced governance tools when needed. - Make compliance a habit, not a project
Set up regular checkpoints to ensure the rules you’ve defined are followed.
Automate where it makes sense but keep a human eye on patterns.
Governance works best when it becomes part of your team's normal rhythm.
Enhancing Your Data Governance Strategy
Leaner data operations reduce complexity across the board.
You spend less time managing clutter and more time working with high-value information.
With less unnecessary data in play, risk exposure shrinks and compliance becomes easier to manage.
To take it further, some organizations strengthen MNS by appointing dedicated governance teams.
These specialists help keep the standard alive and evolving as your business scales.
Explore more in our insight, Appoint Data Governance Experts or Teams.
Bringing It All Together
MNS isn’t just a compliance checkbox.
It’s a business decision that protects resources, builds trust, and accelerates decision-making.
Smart organizations are already shifting in this direction.
If you’re rethinking how your organization handles data, we’re here to talk.
References
- Harvard Business Review. (2023). The Impact of Data Minimization on Governance. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/data-minimization-impact
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). (2024). Implementing MNS for Compliance. Retrieved from https://iapp.org/resources/mns-compliance-guide
