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Introduction to Essential Data Governance and Management System(EDGS)

Introduction to Essential Data Governance and Management System(EDGS)

2022/12/30

I. Background

　　Along with organizations face the industrial, social and economic level of Digital Transformation trend brought by the development of emerging technology or the occurrences of disasters or emergencies(such as COVID-19), and so on. Inducing the increasing demand for transformation of digital governance and management. Including the board of directors and the top managements’ decision making, supervision to internal audit, internal control etc. It is necessary to establish and implement the digitized management measure of content or process step by step. Strengthening the reality, integrity and full disclosure of data, in order to improve the efficiency of organizational decision making, execution, supervision and management.

　　Although implementing the digitization process, brings convenience and efficacy to the organization, accompanied by risks. Digital data has characters of being easy to modify and spread. This often results in difficulty for the original version owner in proving the originator’s identity and then impacts rights protect. Additionally, when cooperating with others, the organizations may provide essential digital data to others, or receive others’ essential digital data. When data breaches or controversies occur, it is required to have measures assisting in the identification or prove the origin of the data. In order to delineate the responsibilities and enhance mutual trust.

　　Essential Data Governance and Management System(hereinafter referred to as, EDGS) is a management model which is to be introduced at the discretion of each organization. Looking forward to improve the degree of the ability in organizations’ digital and governance level progressively. Starting to improve the protected process of the digital data in the first place, reinforcing the long-term preservation of validity of the essential digital data. In order to guarantee the evidence capacity and reinforce the probative value by the time litigations has been instituted or the related competent authority investigates.

II. Setting Objectives

　　The purpose of EDGS is to help organizations consolidate with existing internal auditing, internal control or other management process and then implement tweaks that establish an organizations’ essential data governance and management system that meets the requirements of EDGS. In order to attain the following benefits(as shown in Figure 1 below):

a. Improve the digitalization level of governance and management in internal control, internal auditing or surveillance.

b. Improve organizations’ cooperation, trust and the chance of digital transformation.

c. Reinforce organizations to identify and manage the self-generated, provided or received external digital data.

d. Reinforce organizations’ validity of evidence presented in litigation or the inspection certification of competent authority.

Figure 1: Setting Objectives of EDGS

III. Scope of Application

　　EDGS is designed to be applicable to all organizations, regardless of their type, size, and the products or services they provide. In addition, the requirement of EDGS are centered on the organizations’ essential data governance and management system process (as shown in Figure 2 below). The so-called organizations’ essential data governance and management system process refers to from the digital data process of generation, protection and maintenance to the digital evidence preservation information process of acquisition, maintenance and verification by setting management objectives in accordance with the management policies established by the organization.

Figure 2: The Conceptual Flow Chart for the Organizations’ Essential Digital Data Governance and Management System Process

IV. Process of Application

　　EDGS encourages organizations to link and reinforce the existing “process management” approach and “PDCA management” cycle(as shown in Figure 3 below) in developing, implementing and improving their essential data governance and management system.

Figure 3: The “PDCA management” Cycle of EDGS

V. Table of Contents

　　Chapters 0 to 4 of EDGS are the description of the system structure, scope of application, definition of terms and consideration factors; Chapters 5 to 10 are important management items.

0. Introduction
　0.1. General Description
　0.2. Target
　0.3. Process Management
　0.4. Management Cycle
　0.5. Setting Objectives
　0.6. Compatibility with other management systems
1. Scope of Application
2. Version Marking
3. Definition of Terms
　3.1 Organization
　3.2 Digital record
　3.3 Identification Technology
　3.4 Metadata
　3.5 Hash Function
　3.6 Hash Value
　3.7 Time-Stamp
4. Organization Environment
　4.1 Internal and External Issues
　4.2 Stakeholders
5. Management Responsibility of Digital Governance and Management
　5.1 Management Commitment
　5.2 Management Policy
　5.3 Management Objective Planning
　5.4 Management Accountability and Communication
6. System Planning
　6.1 Basic Requirements
　6.2 Response to Risks and Opportunities
　6.3 Change Planning
7. Support
　7.1 Resources
　7.2 Personnel
　7.3 Equipment or System Environment
　7.4 Communication Channels
8. Practice Process of Essential Digital Data Governance and Management
　8.1 Generation, Maintenance and Protection of Digital Data
　8.2 Acquisition, Maintenance and Verification of Digital Evidence Preservation Information
9 Performance Evaluation
　9.1 Basic Requirements
　9.2 Data Analysis
　9.3 Internal Audit
　9.4 Management Review
10 Improvement

For the full text of the EDGS(Chinese Version), please refer to：
https://stli.iii.org.tw/publish-detail.aspx?d=7198&no=58

※Introduction to Essential Data Governance and Management System(EDGS),STLI, https://stli.iii.org.tw/en/article-detail.aspx?no=105&tp=2&i=171&d=8924 (Date:2025/07/06)
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Leung, Keng-Hou
 Associate Legal Researcher

Release： 2023/01
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The Introduction to the Trade Secret Management System Standard

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