Data ownership is a responsibility. The data life-cycle process illustrates the various forks along the way where data may be transformed, or where ‘bad data’ may be propagated. These forks represent likely decision points, or points of governance, where data can be checked, validated, authorized, approved, and where there may be a transition in data ownership and responsibility. Data lineage provides a two-dimensional roadmap which helps any executive understand how data is produced and how it is consumed within an organization. Think again of the national security example and the importance of checkpoints and effective handoffs, or consider the financial services crisis of 2008 and the impact of financial services instruments that were sliced and repackaged with increased risk. The same principles apply to patient information and successful patient outcomes, and to business data and successful business outcomes.