Data Lineage

Data lineage describes how data moves through an organization, including where it originates, which systems process it, how it is transformed, and where it is transferred or stored.

For example, customer information may begin in a website form, move into a CRM, be shared with an analytics provider, and later be accessed by an AI application.

Understanding lineage helps organizations identify dependencies, data transfers, downstream risks, and the systems affected when processing changes.

Data lineage is particularly useful for privacy and AI governance because risk often depends on how data travels between systems rather than on a single application in isolation.