# Data mesh · Glossary
An organisational and architectural approach in which business domains own and publish their data as products, supported by a shared self-service platform and common governance standards.
[Glossary](/glossary) · Data platforms and engineering

# Data mesh

     An organisational and architectural approach in which business domains own and publish their data as products, supported by a shared self-service platform and common governance standards. It decentralises data ownership while keeping interoperability.

## Why it matters

     In large organisations, a single central data team often becomes a bottleneck. Data mesh puts responsibility for data with the teams that understand it, which can improve quality and speed.

     It demands a level of domain maturity, platform investment and federated governance that many mid-sized organisations do not yet have. Adopting its principles, such as data products and clear ownership, is often more practical than a full mesh.

## In practice

     For example, a UK retail group with separate online, stores and supply-chain divisions might have each division publish certified data products, such as orders or stock positions, on a shared platform with common standards for quality and access.

## Where Rodan fits

     Rodan helps organisations choose an operating model for data that fits their scale, as part of [Analytics and Intelligence](https://rodan.io/what-we-build/analytics-intelligence) engagements. The [Data Maturity Pyramid](/maturity) helps assess readiness.

## Related terms

- [Data product](/glossary#data-product)

- [Data fabric](/glossary/data-fabric)

- [Data architecture](/glossary/data-architecture)

- [Data governance](/glossary/data-governance)

- [Data contract](/glossary/data-contract)

- [Data maturity](/glossary/data-maturity)
HTML: https://rodan.io/glossary/data-mesh