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Product Information Governance (PIG)

Data management1/5/2026Advanced Level

Product Information Governance (PIG) is the overarching framework of policies, processes, roles, and standards for managing the quality, security, and lifecycle of all product information.

What is Product Information Governance (PIG)? (Definition)

Product Information Governance (PIG) is a set of rules and processes that manage how a company handles its product data. It covers the entire life of a product's information, from the moment a team creates it until it is no longer needed. PIG ensures that all product details are accurate, consistent, and secure. This system defines who is responsible for specific data and who has the authority to approve changes. It includes several key parts: * Setting clear data standards for all products * Creating workflows for content approval * Controlling who can access or edit information * Keeping a history of all data changes PIG helps businesses build trust with their customers by providing reliable information. It reduces the risk of selling products with the wrong price or description. By using a system like WISEPIM, companies can automate these rules to keep their data clean and useful for every department.

Why Product Information Governance (PIG) is Important for E-commerce

Product Information Governance (PIG) is a framework of rules that keeps product data accurate and consistent. In e-commerce, these rules help build customer trust. If product details are wrong, customers often return items or lose confidence in the brand. PIG also ensures that products meet legal requirements for safety and labeling. Clear governance helps different teams work together without making manual mistakes. It ensures that every technical spec and marketing description is correct before it goes live. This structure allows businesses to launch new products much faster. Using a system like WISEPIM helps automate these rules, which maintains high data quality as the catalog grows.

Examples of Product Information Governance (PIG)

  • 1Assign clear roles to team members, such as data owners and content approvers, within the PIM system.
  • 2Use automated workflows to ensure marketing and compliance teams approve new product data before it goes live.
  • 3Set up data quality rules to verify that all required product details are accurate and complete.
  • 4Create rules for how long the business should store product data after an item is no longer for sale.
  • 5Check product content regularly to ensure it follows brand guidelines and includes all required legal disclaimers.

How WISEPIM Helps

  • WISEPIM helps you set clear rules for your product data. You can define who handles specific tasks and what standards the data must meet.
  • Automated workflows make sure your data follows company rules. The system sends updates for approval to keep your information accurate and compliant.
  • Control exactly who can view, edit, or publish product information. These specific permissions keep your data secure and show who is responsible for different tasks.
  • WISEPIM keeps a record of every change made to your product data. This history helps you meet legal rules and see exactly when and how someone modified information.

Common Mistakes with Product Information Governance (PIG)

  • Many companies treat governance as a one-time project. It must be an ongoing process that evolves with the business.
  • Teams often fail to assign clear owners for product data. Without accountability, data quality suffers at different stages.
  • Excluding departments like marketing or sales when setting rules creates resistance. Involving all teams ensures everyone follows the new standards.
  • Making governance policies too complex makes them hard to use. Simple rules are easier for teams to follow and implement daily.
  • Some businesses do not connect their governance rules to their PIM system. This leads to manual work and inconsistent product information.

Tips for Product Information Governance (PIG)

  • Assign specific roles for every step of the data process. Decide who owns the information and who approves changes.
  • Start small by focusing on your most important product details and sales channels. Expand your rules to other areas over time.
  • Set clear goals to measure how accurate and consistent your data is. Use these metrics to find and fix weak spots in your system.
  • Check and update your data rules often. This helps you stay current with new laws, market trends, and business goals.
  • Train your team so everyone knows how to keep product information accurate. Good communication ensures everyone follows the same standards.

Trends Surrounding Product Information Governance (PIG)

  • AI-driven Data Quality & Validation: Utilizing AI and machine learning to automatically detect inconsistencies, errors, and compliance issues in product data, significantly improving data quality and reducing manual effort.
  • Automated Workflow Enforcement: Implementing automation to enforce governance rules throughout the product data lifecycle, from creation to publication, ensuring adherence without constant manual oversight.
  • Sustainability Data Integration: Expanding PIG to include governance for sustainability-related product attributes (e.g., material origin, carbon footprint), crucial for transparent reporting and consumer trust.
  • Headless PIM & API-first Governance: Developing PIG frameworks that support headless architectures, allowing for flexible data distribution while maintaining consistent governance across all endpoints via APIs.

Tools for Product Information Governance (PIG)

  • WISEPIM: Centralizes product data management and provides robust features for defining and enforcing data governance rules, workflows, and quality checks across channels.
  • Akeneo: Offers a flexible PIM solution with strong capabilities for managing product data consistency, enrichment workflows, and data quality validation, supporting PIG initiatives.
  • Salsify: A PIM and Product Experience Management platform that supports governance through workflow automation, data validation, and comprehensive digital asset management.
  • SAP Master Data Governance (MDG): An enterprise-level solution for managing and governing master data, including product data, ensuring consistency and compliance across various systems.
  • Ataccama ONE: A data management and governance platform that provides integrated capabilities for data quality, master data management, and data governance, crucial for PIG.

Related Terms

data governanceproduct data governancemaster data management mdmdata stewardshipcompliance dataproduct information governance framework

Also Known As

product data governance frameworkinformation stewardshipproduct content governance