Data is frequently called the new oil. The comparison is memorable but misleading. Data does not create value merely because an organization collects it. Value emerges when data is accurate, accessible for a legitimate purpose and used in better decisions.
Data as an operating asset
Reliable data requires clear definitions, quality controls and ownership. A company should know which system maintains a customer, product, material or asset record; who may change it; and which downstream processes depend on it.
Data governance sets these decision rights and standards. It is not simply an IT administration task. Process owners define business meaning; data stewards coordinate quality; technology teams implement access and controls.
Without this foundation, more analytics can spread inconsistent interpretations faster.
Interoperability matters
Interoperability means that systems can exchange information and make practical use of it. Moving a file is not enough if units, identifiers, revisions and semantics differ.
In industrial operations, connecting equipment, ERP, PDM and maintenance systems requires a shared understanding of assets, events and data ownership.
The EU Data Act
The EU Data Act applies generally from 12 September 2025. Its Article 3(1) design obligation applies to connected products and related services placed on the market after 12 September 2026; other contractual provisions have their own transition rules. This distinction matters for product development, sourcing and contract reviews.
The regulation establishes rules supporting fair access to and use of data, including data generated by connected products and related services. It also addresses aspects of switching between data-processing services.
For manufacturers and industrial operators, the managerial consequence is straightforward: data-access rights, technical accessibility and contracts must be considered during product and service design. This is not a blanket right to all industrial data; personal-data protections, trade secrets and statutory conditions still matter.
Practical governance steps
- Inventory critical data domains.
- Identify a system of record and an accountable owner.
- Define minimum quality rules, authorized users, retention and data-sharing conditions.
- Test whether partners can obtain and interpret the information needed for agreed operational purposes.
Track the cost of data defects: duplicate entry, planning errors, engineering rework and delayed customer decisions.
Executive decision lens
Decision to make: Define data ownership at the level of business-critical entities (product, order, customer, asset) and identify who can authorize changes and sharing. Prioritize interoperability where it reduces material process failures or enables a defensible service model. Regulatory access rights must be assessed by product, role, data category and effective date, not treated as blanket disclosure.
Operations Insider takeaway
Treat data like any other critical operating asset: assign ownership, maintain quality, control access and measure the value it enables.