Implementing Data Mesh

Chapter 5. Driving Data Products with Data Contracts

In this chapter, we will start by looking at what Data Mesh is from an implementation perspective, answering the question: what are its main components? We will then draw the parallel with product thinking, explore what a data product is, and finally jump into data contracts. The examples in this chapter follow the theme of our use case, Climate Quantum Inc.

Bringing Value Through Trust

Rooted in Agile methodologies, Data Mesh focuses on bringing value to the enterprise. We know that, from an engineering and technology perspective, it seems strange to talk about value. After all, what is “value” in data engineering?

Don’t worry—we aren’t switching from an engineering-oriented book to a business book. But we are convinced that, collectively, we need to keep our objectives aligned with Data Mesh, and one of those objectives is trust.

In our many conversations with fellow engineers and scientists, we often tell them that we are not smart enough to know what to do with every piece of data, but we know how to bring them the data they need (and sometimes want). Our teams deliver either the data or the tools to access and process the data. We don’t pretend to know our customers’ jobs, although we spend time learning about them, and everybody should. Trust is the foundation. Harvard Business Review (HBR) published a piece on how trust can be materialized. Let’s see how that applies to the data world.

First, we try to nurture an honest ...