Both data owners and data product owners are vital for organizations to leverage the power of data effectively.

By understanding the distinct focus and responsibilities of each role, businesses can establish a robust data management framework that fosters data quality, drives user-centric data products, and fuels data-driven decision-making across the organization.

In a previous post, we explored the role of the data owner. In this, we will offer guidance on what it means to be a data product owner.

1. Become a Data Product Owner: Wear Multiple Hats, Master Every Skill
2. Essential Skills for Product Data Owners
3. Data Owners vs. Data Product Owners
4. The Future of Data is in Your Hands

Become a Data Product Owner: Wear Multiple Hats, Master Every Skill

Data product owners are the product managers of the data world. You’ll take raw data and transform it into a consumable product that fulfills specific user needs. Here’s what you’ll be doing:

• Define the Vision: Chart the course for your data product. What problem does it solve? Who are the target users? You’ll translate business goals into a clear product vision.
• Gather Requirements: Uncover the needs of your users. Talk to analysts, stakeholders, and potential users to understand their pain points and desired functionalities.
• Prioritize Features: Not all features are created equal. You’ll prioritize which features to develop first based on user needs and potential impact.
• Manage the Backlog: The product backlog is your roadmap. You’ll manage the list of features and ensure development stays on track.
• Drive User Adoption: A data product gathering dust is useless. You’ll champion user adoption through clear communication, training, and ongoing product improvement.

Essential Skills for Product Data Owners

To thrive as a data product owner, you’ll need to be a well-rounded individual with a diverse skillset:

• Strategic Visionary: Think big picture! Understanding market trends, competitor activity, and user needs is crucial for creating a data product that delivers real value.
• Tech-Savvy Problem Solver: A grasp of data science, cloud technology, and data manipulation techniques empowers you to get the most out of your data and solve complex challenges.
• Leadership and Communication Maestro: Inspire your team and clearly communicate the data product vision to stakeholders. Strong leadership and communication skills are key.
• Adaptability Ninja: The data landscape is dynamic. Embrace flexibility and be ready to adjust to changing needs and requirements.
• Data Analysis Powerhouse: You should be comfortable diving into data, identifying trends, and extracting valuable insights. You may not be the tech guru, but you need to be comfortable with the outcomes.

Data Owners vs. Data Product Owners

While their titles share a common thread, their areas of focus and responsibilities differ significantly. Let’s dive into what separates these data champions:

• Scope: The data owner takes a bird’s eye view, overseeing a specific dataset or group of datasets across the entire organization. They’re the guardians of data integrity, ensuring its quality, governance, and consistent use. In contrast, the data product owner zooms in on a specific data product – a curated subset of data designed for a particular purpose. Their focus is on defining the product’s scope, requirements, and ensuring it fulfills the needs of its users.
• Focus: Data owners manage the data stewards. They champion data quality, establish governance frameworks, and control access to ensure compliance with regulations. Data product owners, on the other hand, are product managers for the data realm. They define the vision for the data product, gather user requirements, prioritize features, and manage the product backlog to drive its development and adoption.
• Role and Responsibilities: Data ownership is often a more senior position within data governance. These individuals make critical decisions about the data they manage. Data product ownership, on the other hand, is typically a less senior role, but no less crucial. They are responsible for the day-to-day development, management, and user engagement of their assigned data product.
• The Relationship: Here’s where it gets interesting. A single dataset can be a source for multiple data products, each with its own dedicated data product owner. In this scenario, the data owner retains overall responsibility for the dataset’s quality and governance. Meanwhile, the data product owners act as custodians of the specific data products derived from that dataset, ensuring they meet the needs of their unique user base.

The Future of Data is in Your Hands

Data product owners play a vital role in the success of data-driven organizations. By harnessing the power of data and transforming it into user-friendly products, you can unlock valuable insights, drive informed decision-making, and propel your organization forward.

Are you ready to become a data product owner and own your data destiny?