Data Steward
Role overview
Your mission: You manage and prepare data within your domain. Your goal is to ensure that data is structured, integrated, and ready to be made available.
Why your role is vital: You are the "Operator". You take structured and integrated data and turn it into usable Datasets. Without your work, data remains inaccessible or not ready for use.
Defining your scope: You primarily work on Datasets and their configuration. You also work with Datapools, Data structures, Data sources, Pipelines, and APIs within your domain to prepare data for review and release.
Your core responsibilities
- Manage domain-specific Datasets: Create, configure, and maintain Datasets and organize them in Datapools where appropriate.
- Apply standards and guidelines: You use and apply Data structures and standards defined by the Data Architect.
- Create and manage data-related elements: You can create and manage Data structures and Data sources as part of your work.
- Ensure data readiness and manage the data lifecycle: You move Datasets through Draft and Ready and prepare them for release.
Outside your scope
It is not your responsibility to define global standards or manage platform-wide data architecture.
If you are responsible for defining cross-domain standards and reusable patterns, the Data Architect role is likely the right role for you.
If you are responsible for approving and releasing Datasets, the Data Owner role is likely the right role for you.
To work effectively with data-related elements, you need the correct permissions.
The access logic: Access is always the result of a User being assigned to a Group, and that Group being assigned a Role at a specific Scope.
Scopes: Roles can apply at Platform level, on a Datapool, or on specific data-related elements such as Datasets, Data sources, and Data structures.
You usually receive a Data Role for selected Datasets, Data sources, or Data structures via the Access Management tab. You can also update access on these elements by assigning or removing Groups and Roles. Many Data Stewards receive access through Datapool inheritance rather than direct Dataset assignments.
When changing assignments, make sure not to remove your own access.
If you remove the Group or Role that gives you access to a data-related element, you may lose access to it.
If you cannot create Data structures, Data sources, or Datasets, your Group likely does not have a Data Role with create Permissions at Platform scope. Contact your Tenant Admin to request the required access.
→ Deep Dive Authorisation
Typical tasks
Your work in CIVITAS/CORE focuses on managing data within your domain:
- Create and maintain Datasets: Add metadata and configure Datasets
- Create or adjust Data structures: Define or adapt structures based on existing standards
- Register Data sources: Connect and configure data relevant to your domain.
- Design pipelines: Model how data is ingested, transformed, and prepared for use
- Prepare Datasets for further use: Ensure Datasets are complete and ready for review by Data Owners
Your first steps
To start working as a Data Steward in CIVITAS/CORE:
- Ensure you have access to a Dataset or Datapool
- Complete the Dataset configuration
- Assign the Dataset to a Datapool (if applicable)
- Edit or reuse Data structures and Data sources
- Build Pipelines and configure APIs
- Set the Dataset status to Ready
Best practices & avoiding mistakes
- Follow defined standards: Create and adapt Data structures only within established guidelines
- Work within your domain: Focus on the data-related elements you are responsible for
- Do not define global standards: Leave cross-domain standards and reusable patterns to Data Architects
- Keep pipelines clear and maintainable: Avoid overly complex pipeline logic. Keep transformations understandable
- Reuse existing Data structures and Data sources before creating new ones
- Keep Datasets consistent: Ensure metadata, structure, and pipelines are complete and aligned
- Use Datapools whenever possible: Manage related Datasets together and benefit from inherited permissions
Your permissions
| Permissions / Data-related elements | READ | CREATE | UPDATE | DELETE | RELEASE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dataset | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | |
| ↳ Payload | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | |
| Data source | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | |
| Data structure | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | 🟠 | |
| Datapool | 🟠 | 🟠 |
Key terms to know
To work effectively as a Data Steward, review these terms in our Glossary:
- Data structure: Defines the schema and structure of data.
- Data source: Represents the origin of data.
- Dataset: A structured collection of data prepared for use.
- Pipeline: Defines how data is loaded, transformed, and stored.
- Datapool: Organizes related Datasets and provides an additional scope for access management and Data source availability.
- Data Role: A Role that grants access to data-related elements.
- Scope: Defines where a Role applies, either on Platform level or on a specific data-related element.
- Status: Defines the lifecycle stage of a data-related element (Draft, Ready, Available).