The Problem with Policy Documents
Every organization with a governance program faces the same challenge: the people who need to follow the rules can't find them.
Policy documents are written as comprehensive reference material — they cover every requirement, every exception, every edge case. That's exactly what you want for auditors and compliance officers. But for the data engineer deploying a new pipeline, or the procurement manager onboarding a vendor, reading a 40-page data governance policy isn't practical. They need to know which rules apply to what they're doing right now.
This gap between documented policy and operational reality is where governance breaks down. Not because people don't care about compliance, but because the path from "I need to do X" to "here are the rules that govern X" is too long, too manual, and too ambiguous.
A New Way to Navigate Your Own Rules
Today we're announcing the Use Cases Library — a feature that flips governance navigation on its head.
Instead of starting with a policy document and hunting for what's relevant, Use Cases start with a real-world scenario and show you exactly which governance statements apply. Each use case represents something your organization actually does:
- Onboard a New Vendor — Which due diligence requirements apply? What risk assessments are mandatory? What contractual obligations must be in place?
- Deploy a Production Database — What data classification rules govern this data? Which access control policies apply? What retention schedules kick in?
- Respond to a Data Breach — What's the notification timeline? Who must be informed? What documentation is required?
- Launch an AI/ML Model — What ethics review is needed? Which bias testing requirements apply? What monitoring must be in place?
For each scenario, you see the specific statements from your own adopted governance program — not generic best practices, but the actual obligations, prohibitions, and recommendations that your organization has committed to.
How It Works
Connected to Your Governance Program
Use Cases don't exist in isolation. They're wired into your workspace's adopted governance statements. When you adopt statements from the Dictiva Library and build your governance program, those statements become the foundation for use case guidance.
This means the advice is always specific to your organization. Two companies in the same industry might see different linked statements for the same scenario, because they've adopted different governance postures.
Relevance-Based Grouping
Not every linked statement carries the same weight. Use Cases group statements by relevance:
- Critical — Non-negotiable for this scenario. Skip these at your own risk
- Relevant — Applies and should be considered, but context-dependent
- Informational — Useful background that helps you understand the broader governance landscape
This prioritization helps teams focus on what matters most, especially under time pressure.
Seven Governance Domains
The initial release covers use cases across seven core governance domains:
| Domain | Focus |
|---|---|
| Data Management | Data lifecycle, quality, products, master data |
| Risk Management | Vendor risk, internal audit, risk assessment |
| Enterprise Governance | Organizational structures, agreements, change management |
| Privacy | Data subject rights, consent, impact assessments |
| Security | Incident response, access control, encryption |
| AI Governance | Model deployment, ethics review, algorithmic accountability |
| Compliance | Regulatory preparation, monitoring, evidence management |
What's Coming Next
The Use Cases Library is under active development, and we're building it with direct input from governance practitioners. Here's what's on the roadmap:
Procedure Integration
Each use case will link not just to governance statements, but to step-by-step procedures — the concrete actions someone needs to take to comply with each statement in the context of that specific scenario.
Tenant-Specific Use Cases
Beyond the universal library of use cases, organizations will be able to create their own custom use cases tailored to internal processes and workflows that are unique to their business.
Glossary Integration
Use cases will surface relevant glossary terms inline, so teams can quickly understand domain-specific language without leaving the workflow.
Smart Recommendations
As your governance program evolves — new statements adopted, new frameworks mapped — use case recommendations will update automatically, ensuring guidance stays current.
We Want Your Input
Use Cases is being shaped by real governance challenges from real organizations. If you have scenarios that aren't covered, requirements we haven't considered, or feedback on the approach, we want to hear from you.
Visit our support page to share your use case requirements, or reach out to your account team directly.
The gap between policy and practice has been one of governance's most persistent problems. Use Cases is our answer: make the rules navigable, make compliance practical, and meet people where the work actually happens.