Have you ever wondered why your data initiatives keep falling short? What's missing?
It's often not what you think.
You have invested in the latest technology, you've hired smart people, written the policies, yet somehow, your data quality is still questionable, reports don't match, and people are still making decisions based on gut feeling rather than facts.
The missing piece is collaboration. Technology and processes alone will not deliver results. Success requires investing in people, relationships, communication, and collaboration that will unite business leadership with technical expertise.
Not just any collaboration - the specific partnership between your Data Owners and Data Stewards. These two roles form the foundation, and true collaboration creates a partnership, forming the triangle.
What is a Data Owner?
A Data Owner is someone who has the authority and accountability for data within a specific business domain in the organisation. They are usually senior business leaders - department heads, product managers, executives. They’re the decision-makers who understand the business i.e. A Marketing Manager owns Customer Data, a Finance Manager owns Finance Data, an Operations Head owns Supply Chain Data.
Data Owners possess the business insights to understand how the data should be used, and what outcomes it should drive. They control the budgets and make strategic decisions about the data; they are the ones who can say "yes" or "no" to data initiatives.
What is a Data Steward?
Data Stewards are the operational guardians of quality and compliance; they are the caretakers of the data. Whilst they may not set strategic direction, these practitioners possess the critical technical knowledge about data structures, the processes, and systems. They implement the day-to-day management required.
They work closely with the data, ensuring it meets the defined standards and required level of quality, and they resolve issues. They know which systems talk to each other and understand the data flows, and they can spot anomalies. Data Stewards are your eyes and ears on the ground.
They're the ones who clean the data, monitor it, and fix it when things go wrong. They live and breathe data every day, and need to be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to perform their role effectively.
Why do these roles need each other?
Here's the thing - neither can succeed alone.
Data Owners without Data Stewards is like having Executives without staff: lots of strategy and vision, and policies that look great on paper, but are not achieved.
Data Stewards without Data Owners. That's like having staff without direction. They're working hard, fixing problems, managing quality, but their efforts don’t achieve the desired results.
These roles naturally complement each other. Data Owners provide the "why" and Data Stewards deliver the "how". You need both, you need the authority and the capability.
What happens when they don't work together well?
In many organisations, these groups operate in isolation or in parallel, which prevents the achievement of the required results.
Data Stewards and Owners work in isolation, they build frameworks that get ignored, they implement solutions that work technically but don't get traction. Data Stewards fix the same problems over and over again. They get frustrated, they can see the underlying issues but don't have the authority to fix the root causes.
You can feel as if you are “spaghetti up a hill*.” Lots of effort but little progress and Data Debt accumulates.
* Lisel Engelbrecht - Chief Information Officer for Data, Analytics, and AI at Standard Bank South Africa.
The power of collaboration
What happens when Data Owners and Data Stewards work together effectively? When these two groups work together, and achieve true results, real things start to happen. You see, collaboration is the third critical element required for these roles to achieve the desired outcomes.
When Data Owners & Data Stewards collaborate effectively, data can truly be an asset.
Organisations that successfully implement this collaborative approach see results across the board:
- Improved Data Quality
- Enhanced Analytics
- Decision-Making speeds-up
- Increased User buy-in
- Reduced Risk and Compliance issues
- Better Resource allocation
Better data leads to more usage, more usage leads to more analytics and improved analytics leads to better business outcomes. Organisations can do more, because you can trust the data.
How do they work together effectively?
The collaboration begins with shared understanding.
Data Owners must appreciate the technical complexities and requirements that Data Stewards navigate daily. Conversely, Data Stewards need insight into the business priorities and the constraints that drive the Data Owner’s decisions. Mutual respect forms the foundation for productive partnership.
Consider shared metrics, both Data Owners and Data Stewards should be measured on the same results. When they succeed together or fail together, they're motivated to collaborate.
Accountability alone isn't enough though. People need to develop the skills to collaborate effectively. Many Data Owners battle to communicate data requirements clearly. Many Data Stewards struggle to translate technical issues into business language.
Create regular communication forums that builds these collaborative skills over time. Not just status meetings - real conversations where both groups learn from each other.
Establish clear escalation paths. When Data Stewards spot issues that could impact business, they need a direct line to Data Owners.
When Data Owners need to implement new requirements, they need to work with Data Stewards to make it happen.
Recognize and reward collaboration. Build these collaborative capabilities across your teams, then celebrate the success from this group working together.
Your data is only as strong as the people managing it
Are your Data Stewards and Data Owners working together or in parallel?
The most sophisticated technology in the world can’t do it alone, if your Data Owners and Data Stewards aren't working well together. The Data Triangle of Collaboration isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a business imperative. In an environment where data drives competitive advantage, organisations cannot afford to ignore this.
Think about your current situation. Do your Data Owners and Data Stewards have regular, meaningful conversations? Do they share common goals? Are they solving problems together, or working in parallel? Have you invested in developing the skills and knowledge needed to make this partnership work in practice?
The Data Triangle has three points: Data Owners at one corner, Data Stewards at another, and collaboration connecting them. Overlook any one of these, and your data efforts will struggle to make progress.
The Path Forward - what are you going to do about it?
In today's business landscape, data isn't just an asset—it's the foundation upon which competitive advantage is built. Yet, many organisations struggle to extract real value from their data investments.
Start simple. Bring your Data Owners and Data Stewards together for an honest conversation about current challenges and shared goals. You might be surprised how much common ground you find. Don't stop there - help them develop the skills they need to sustain this collaboration, and build the capabilities they need to succeed? Like any valuable skill, effective data collaboration can be learned and improved.
The organisations that successfully blend strategic vision with operational excellence, will find themselves with a sustainable competitive advantage built on reliable, accessible, high-quality data. Those that don't will continue wondering why their data investments aren't paying off.
Food for thought
What efforts are you making to strengthen the collaboration between your Data Owners and Data Stewards? Are you building bridges, or are you building silos? The choice is yours.
Empower the guardians of your data galaxy. After all, quality data is stewarded by people who care about getting it right.
