6 Examples of a Data Owner

John Spacey, September 17, 2017

A data owner is an individual who is accountable for a data asset. This is typically an executive role that goes to the department, team or business unit that owns a data asset. The following are examples of responsibilities associated with the data owner role.

Compliance

Ensuring compliance to regulations, policies and standards.

Data Control

Defining, implementing and governing data controls to manage risk, secure data and ensure data quality.

Administration

Administration of data, often assigned to a role known as a data custodian. In most cases, the data owner isn't the custodian but is accountable for governance and oversight of data administration. For example, the data owner for employee data might be the Vice President of Human Resources and the data custodian might be a manager of an IT team.

Access

Controlling access to the data. For example, an approvals and review process for requests to take a copy of a database. In some cases, organizations have a role known as a data controller who manages this process. Nevertheless, a data owner remains accountable for access to their data assets.

Business Value

Making sure that data assets serve their intended business purpose. Often assigned to a data steward who develops and deploys data assets to support business strategy and operations. This serves as a balance to data control roles that seek to lock data down, a data steward seeks value from data.

Information Security

The process of securing data from unauthorized access, use, modification or destruction. Requires an information security practice and enterprise-wide processes and training. The data owner plays a vital role in this process with governance and oversight of controls, risk management and administration of their data assets.

6 Examples of a Data Owner

Administration

Access

Business Value

Data

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