Which statement about data lineage?

• A. Data lineage refers to the speed of data processing.
• B. Data lineage describes how data is transformed and moved after it has been archived.
• C. Data lineage describes the origin and movement of data between unrelated systems.
• D. Data lineage describes the origin and movement of data from source to destination, including transformations.

Answer: (D)

Data lineage traces the origin of data, how it moves through processing steps, and the transformations it undergoes as it travels from source to destination. This understanding is essential because it reveals the data’s history, shows how values are derived, and helps you assess trust, impact, and quality across the entire data pipeline. The option that describes the origin and movement from source to destination, including the transformations, best captures this idea because it encompasses both the path data takes and the changes it experiences along the way, which is what lineage is all about.

Speed of data processing focuses on velocity, not provenance. Data lineage isn’t limited to data after archiving; it covers the full journey, including active processing and flow through systems. Describing lineage as movement between unrelated systems implies a narrow or incomplete picture; lineage can span complex, interconnected steps across multiple environments, showing how data moves and changes throughout the entire ecosystem.