A data steward is a crucial role in any organization that invests significantly in high-quality data operations to effectively reach the proper audience and engage customers. Data stewards play a vital role in keeping corporate data consistent, accurate, and accessible to ensure the success of a business. In this article, we will explore the definition of a data steward, their duties, talents, and work environment, shedding light on the importance of this role in the modern business landscape.
So, who exactly is a data steward? A data steward is an individual responsible for overseeing a company's data assets and ensuring the quality and integrity of the data. They are tasked with monitoring data collection processes, organizing and preparing data according to corporate standards, and resolving any data corruption issues that may arise. Data stewards play a critical role in maintaining accurate and reliable data that can be used to inform business decisions and drive strategic initiatives.
One of the primary duties of a data steward is to ensure that data is used effectively to inform company decisions. By leveraging data analytics, a data steward can help a company identify target audiences, optimize marketing strategies, and improve operational processes. Data collection and ownership guidelines are put in place to ensure data accuracy and consistency, which in turn enhances overall business performance. Additionally, data stewards are responsible for protecting data privacy and educating employees about the importance of data security to safeguard a company's reputation.
In many organizations, there are different types of data stewards with various titles, each specializing in a specific area of data management. These may include:
- Data Object Data Managers: Responsible for managing business entity reference data across one or more IT systems. - Process Data Managers: Oversee data processing activities within company processes, requiring expertise in computer systems. - Business Data Managers: Handle both reference and transactional data related to various business functions.
The duties of a data steward are varied and encompass a wide range of responsibilities that are essential to maintaining accurate and reliable data within an organization. Some of the key duties of a data steward include:
Implementing Data Security: Data stewards are responsible for ensuring that company data is current, error-free, and secure. They investigate database errors, rectify issues, and establish data-controlling policies to protect data privacy at every stage. Data stewards also develop and enforce data curation procedures to meet the business data lifecycle requirements, striking a balance between transparency and privacy.
Data Process Design: Data stewards design and plan the data gathering and processing activities within a company, creating methods for collecting, inputting, and transferring data between databases. Clear data interaction standards are established to ensure proper data entry and reduce the risk of duplication or corruption within the corporate database.
Conventional Data Operations: Data stewards oversee the entire lifecycle of a dataset, creating and implementing operational and executive data management policies. They gather, store, process, and transmit data to internal and external systems, documenting all essential data in an institutional data glossary.
Data Lineage Monitoring: Data stewards are responsible for tracing the origin and usage of data within a company, which can help identify errors and discrepancies in the data. Understanding the data lineage can assist data stewards in determining the source of the data and fixing any mistakes that may have occurred.
Maintaining Data Quality: Data stewards establish data quality rules, processes, and internal control systems to ensure that data is accurate, reliable, and consistent. They regularly monitor data quality, identify anomalies, and take corrective action to maintain high-quality data standards within the organization.
In conclusion, data stewards play a vital role in maintaining the integrity and accuracy of data within an organization, helping businesses make informed decisions based on reliable data. By ensuring data security, designing effective data processes, overseeing conventional data operations, monitoring data lineage, and maintaining data quality, data stewards contribute to the overall success and growth of a business. Data stewards possess a unique set of talents and skills that are essential for managing data effectively and driving business success in today's data-driven world.