A data steward is a functional role in data management and governance, with responsibility for ensuring that data policies and standards turn into practice within the steward’s domain. Data stewards assist the enterprise in leveraging domain data assets to full capacity1. One of the primary responsibilities of a data steward is to establish data quality requirements and metrics, which define the criteria and measures for assessing the fitness of data for its intended use. Data quality requirements and metrics are based on the business needs and expectations of the data consumers, and they cover various dimensions of data quality, such as accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, validity, and reliability23. Data stewards also monitor and report on the data quality performance, identify and resolve data quality issues, and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the data quality4.

The other options are not the primary responsibility of a data steward, especially at an enterprise with mature data management programs. Implementing processes for data collection and use is a responsibility of a data engineer or a data analyst, who design and execute the technical aspects of data acquisition, transformation, storage, and analysis5. Ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and regulations is a responsibility of a data protection officer or a data privacy officer, who oversee the legal and ethical aspects of data processing, security, and consent. Developing data-related policies and procedures is a responsibility of a data governance committee or a data governance officer, who set the strategic direction and objectives for data management and governance across the enterprise.