Introduction
Governance is often the hidden reason programmes stall. Good governance removes friction by clarifying how training content, practice artefacts and telemetry are handled—so Legal, InfoSec and HR can say “yes” quickly and adoption stays high. This guide explains the essentials and how to implement them without slowing delivery.
For broader context on building effective programmes, see our pillar guide: What Should Good Sales Training Include?
Why Governance Matters
- Trust—clear controls increase adoption by sellers, managers and customers.
- Speed—pre‑agreed guardrails reduce redlines and procurement delays.
- Risk—privacy, IP and regulatory exposure are proactively managed.
Focus on a few robust controls, consistently applied, rather than sprawling policy documents nobody reads.
Key Governance Domains
- Privacy & lawful basis—what data you collect (e.g., practice clips), why, and under which lawful basis.
- Security—data encryption in transit/at rest, SSO, role‑based access, audit logs.
- Retention & deletion—how long artefacts are kept, who can request deletion, how deletion is confirmed.
- Data location—where data is processed/stored and any sub‑processors involved.
- Accessibility—captions, transcripts, colour contrast, keyboard navigation.
- AI usage—approved use‑cases, redaction, model boundaries and human oversight.
Define the Data Lifecycle
- Capture—what artefacts are created (learning completions, practice attempts, proposals), and how consent/notice is given.
- Storage—where each artefact resides (LMS/LXP, practice platform, CRM) and applicable controls.
- Access—who can see what (seller, manager, enablement, leadership) with role‑based permissions.
- Retention—default timeframes (e.g., 30–90 days for practice clips unless opted‑in for analytics).
- Deletion—automated expiry plus manual deletion on request; how it’s evidenced.
Access Control & Single Sign‑On
- Use SSO with conditional access for sensitive artefacts.
- Map roles to least‑privilege access (seller, manager, admin) and review quarterly.
- Enable audit logs for access to practice media and proposal drafts.
Vendor Due Diligence (What to Ask)
- Do you hold practice media by default? If so, for how long and in which region?
- Can retention be set to 0 (no storage) or to client‑defined windows?
- Which sub‑processors do you use and where are they located?
- What certifications/attestations do you hold (e.g., ISO/IEC 27001)?
- Is content accessible (captions, transcripts) and usable with assistive tech?
- How are AI features constrained to prevent data leakage or bias?
Governance for AI Features
- Approved inputs—no customer PII without redaction; use synthetic or redacted examples for practice.
- Model boundaries—document whether models are tenant‑isolated and whether prompts are ever used for model training.
- Human in the loop—managers validate feedback samples; sellers can contest automated ratings.
- Explainability—make feedback criteria visible to reduce “black box” risk.
Regional Considerations
- GDPR/UK GDPR—notice, lawful basis, minimisation, subject rights.
- US—state‑level privacy (e.g., CCPA/CPRA) and sector obligations.
- Other regions—align to local transfer rules and adequacy decisions.
This guide is practical guidance, not legal advice. Work with your privacy counsel on final policies.
Implementation Playbook (30–45 Days)
- Week 0–1: Map artefacts and systems; draft a one‑page data flow.
- Week 1–2: Set SSO, roles and default retention; agree privacy notices.
- Week 2–4: Configure vendors; test deletion and export; publish an accessibility checklist.
- Week 4–6: Run a pilot; capture issues; finalise the governance note for procurement.
Common Pitfalls (and Fixes)
- Policy bloat → publish a one‑page governance note and keep the rest in appendices.
- Unclear retention → set defaults and automate expiry.
- Portal sprawl → keep training and practice within existing tools where possible.
- Unbounded AI → restrict inputs, isolate models where possible and keep human review.
Bottom Line
Q1. What is Sales Training Governance?
A1. The policies and controls that govern training data and tools—privacy, security, retention, access and accessibility—so Legal and InfoSec can approve quickly.
Q2. How do we handle privacy lawfully?
A2. Define a lawful basis, minimise data collected, provide clear notices and support subject rights such as access and deletion.
Q3. What security controls should we require?
A3. SSO, role‑based access, encryption in transit/at rest and audit logs for sensitive artefacts like practice media and proposal drafts.
Q4. What should our retention policy be?
A4. Set short defaults (e.g., 30–90 days for practice clips), allow opt‑in analytics where needed and automate deletion with evidence.
Q5. Who should see practice artefacts?
A5. Keep to least‑privilege: the seller, their manager and enablement; leadership can view anonymised examples where appropriate.
Q6. How do we govern AI in training?
A6. Use redacted/synthetic inputs, document model boundaries, keep a human in the loop and make feedback criteria visible.
Q7. Do we need ISO certification?
A7. Certification helps with procurement confidence; if a vendor isn’t certified, request equivalent controls and independent attestations.
Q8. What should procurement ask vendors?
A8. Data location, retention options, sub‑processors, security posture (e.g., ISO/IEC 27001), accessibility support and AI constraints.