Data Trust - Concept and why we started Decube

Discover why Data Trust is essential for accurate decision-making, AI success, and reliable governance. Explore how Decube unifies data quality, lineage, and governance, delivering measurable ROI by simplifying data management.

By

Kamal

Updated on

March 13, 2025

Why We Founded Decube: Solving the Challenge of Fragmented Data Management

The Struggle is Real

Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand the frustration companies face when managing fragmented data. Teams often juggled multiple disconnected tools, relied heavily on spreadsheets, and spent countless hours manually tracing data lineage, managing data quality, and enforcing governance policies. The result? Chaos, confusion, and a severe lack of trust in data-driven decisions.

Imagine your best analyst spotting an anomaly in a crucial financial report but unable to quickly find the root cause because data lineage, governance, and quality monitoring are spread across multiple tools. The delay isn't just frustrating—it undermines trust in your data altogether.

Why does data trust matter so much for modern enterprises? Consider that poor data management and quality issues cost companies an average of $15 million per year. When executives and frontline employees can’t trust the data, they waste time double-checking reports or, worse, make flawed decisions that hurt the business. In an era of AI and advanced analytics, trusted data is not a luxury – it’s a strategic necessity. If a CFO opens a financial dashboard built on faulty data or a supply chain manager relies on out-of-date metrics, the consequences can be dire (lost revenue, compliance penalties, or damaged customer relationships). Establishing strong data trust means data users confidently rely on insights without second-guessing them, enabling faster decisions and innovation.

What is Data Trust, Anyway?

Simply put, Data Trust means confidence in your data's accuracy, reliability, timeliness, and security. It ensures that every business decision you make is backed by trustworthy insights, letting you spend more time driving growth and innovation, rather than verifying data accuracy.

Why Data Trust is Essential—Now More Than Ever

Poor data quality costs businesses millions every year. In the age of AI, the stakes are even higher—trusted data isn't optional; it's foundational. AI models thrive on high-quality data. Without trust, AI-driven insights quickly become unreliable, impacting your business strategy and performance.

The Four Pillars of Data Trust

Data Trust Framework

1. Metadata Management: Visibility Matters

Metadata management isn't just about organizing data—it's about understanding it. At Decube, we prioritize:

  • Data Profiling: Quickly catching data quality issues.
  • Data Lineage: Understanding your data’s journey, from start to finish.
  • Metadata Enrichment: Adding critical business context so everyone understands what they're working with.

2. Data Mesh: Empowering Teams

With Data Mesh, we ensure clear ownership and accountability:

  • Domain Ownership: Letting the experts handle their own data.
  • Data as a Product: Clear expectations and guaranteed quality.
  • Data Contracts: Explicit agreements that set clear standards for data exchange.

3. Governance: Policies, Simplified

Data governance shouldn't slow you down. At Decube, governance is automated, clear, and secure:

  • Policy Definition: Straightforward guidelines everyone can follow.
  • Access Control & Classification: Protecting sensitive information automatically.
  • Compliance: Built-in controls for regulatory adherence.

4. Data Quality and Observability: Always On, Always Reliable

Trust requires constant monitoring, and Decube provides:

  • Pipeline Monitoring: Early detection of pipeline issues.
  • Schema Drift Detection: Proactive alerts when something changes unexpectedly.
  • Validity & Completeness Checks: Continuous quality checks for peace of mind.
  • Freshness: Ensuring your data is always current.

Why Integration Changes Everything

Having all these pillars seamlessly integrated into a single platform doesn't just simplify things—it transforms the entire experience. Integration eliminates gaps between tools, reduces manual labor, and drastically accelerates issue resolution. Ultimately, unified integration means faster adoption, happier users, and clear, measurable ROI.

Why Legacy Tools Fall Short

Legacy tools often fail because they're complicated, fragmented, and hard to adopt. I've witnessed companies invest heavily in solutions that were abandoned due to complexity, lack of integration, or poor user experience. In contrast, Decube’s unified approach delivers intuitive workflows, comprehensive functionality, and a clear, rapid return on investment.

Decube: Our Vision for a Unified Solution

As we’ve discussed, achieving data trust requires integrating multiple capabilities – from data quality monitoring and lineage tracking to governance and metadata management. Many organizations struggle with a fragmented toolset: one tool for data cataloging, another for quality checks, a separate solution for access control, and so on. This siloed approach can itself undermine trust, as gaps form between systems and it becomes hard to get a unified view of data health. This is where a unified platform like Decube becomes critical.

Decube positions itself as a “Data Trust Platform for the AI Era” – a single, unified solution that brings together data observability, discovery, and governance in one place​ By consolidating the core pillars of data trust into a seamless platform, Decube helps organizations enforce data trust practices holistically rather than piecemeal. Let’s break down how Decube supports each pillar and why that unified approach matters:

  • Unified Catalog & Lineage: Everything you need to understand your data in one place.
  • Integrated Observability: Automated anomaly detection for constant reliability.
  • Built-in Governance: Simple yet robust security, policy enforcement, and compliance.
  • Data Mesh Principles: Clear ownership and accountability across your organization.

Let’s Write a Better Data Story Together

If you’re tired of fragmented data management and ready for a new approach, join me. See firsthand how Decube can simplify, streamline, and empower your data strategy.

Ready to Get Started?

Schedule your Decube demo today and take the first step towards trusted, reliable, and AI-ready data.

What is a Data Trust Platform in financial services?
A Data Trust Platform is a unified framework that combines data observability, governance, lineage, and cataloging to ensure financial institutions have accurate, secure, and compliant data. In banking, it enables faster regulatory reporting, safer AI adoption, and new revenue opportunities from data products and APIs.
Why do AI initiatives fail in Latin American banks and fintechs?
Most AI initiatives in LATAM fail due to poor data quality, fragmented architectures, and lack of governance. When AI models are fed stale or incomplete data, predictions become inaccurate and untrustworthy. Establishing a Data Trust Strategy ensures models receive fresh, auditable, and high-quality data, significantly reducing failure rates.
What are the biggest data challenges for financial institutions in LATAM?
Key challenges include: Data silos and fragmentation across legacy and cloud systems. Stale and inconsistent data, leading to poor decision-making. Complex compliance requirements from regulators like CNBV, BCB, and SFC. Security and privacy risks in rapidly digitizing markets. AI adoption bottlenecks due to ungoverned data pipelines.
How can banks and fintechs monetize trusted data?
Once data is governed and AI-ready, institutions can: Reduce OPEX with predictive intelligence. Offer hyper-personalized products like ESG loans or SME financing. Launch data-as-a-product (DaaP) initiatives with anonymized, compliant data. Build API-driven ecosystems with partners and B2B customers.
What is data dictionary example?
A data dictionary is a centralized repository that provides detailed information about the data within an organization. It defines each data element—such as tables, columns, fields, metrics, and relationships—along with its meaning, format, source, and usage rules. Think of it as the “glossary” of your data landscape. By documenting metadata in a structured way, a data dictionary helps ensure consistency, reduces misinterpretation, and improves collaboration between business and technical teams. For example, when multiple teams use the term “customer ID”, the dictionary clarifies exactly how it is defined, where it is stored, and how it should be used. Modern platforms like Decube extend the concept of a data dictionary by connecting it directly with lineage, quality checks, and governance—so it’s not just documentation, but an active part of ensuring data trust across the enterprise.
What is an MCP Server?
An MCP Server stands for Model Context Protocol Server—a lightweight service that securely exposes tools, data, or functionality to AI systems (MCP clients) via a standardized protocol. It enables LLMs and agents to access external resources (like files, tools, or APIs) without custom integration for each one. Think of it as the “USB-C port for AI integrations.”
How does MCP architecture work?
The MCP architecture operates under a client-server model: MCP Host: The AI application (e.g., Claude Desktop or VS Code). MCP Client: Connects the host to the MCP Server. MCP Server: Exposes context or tools (e.g., file browsing, database access). These components communicate over JSON‑RPC (via stdio or HTTP), facilitating discovery, execution, and contextual handoffs.
Why does the MCP Server matter in AI workflows?
MCP simplifies access to data and tools, enabling modular, interoperable, and scalable AI systems. It eliminates repetitive, brittle integrations and accelerates tool interoperability.
How is MCP different from Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)?
Unlike RAG—which retrieves documents for LLM consumption—MCP enables live, interactive tool execution and context exchange between agents and external systems. It’s more dynamic, bidirectional, and context-aware.
What is a data dictionary?
A data dictionary is a centralized repository that provides detailed information about the data within an organization. It defines each data element—such as tables, columns, fields, metrics, and relationships—along with its meaning, format, source, and usage rules. Think of it as the “glossary” of your data landscape. By documenting metadata in a structured way, a data dictionary helps ensure consistency, reduces misinterpretation, and improves collaboration between business and technical teams. For example, when multiple teams use the term “customer ID”, the dictionary clarifies exactly how it is defined, where it is stored, and how it should be used. Modern platforms like Decube extend the concept of a data dictionary by connecting it directly with lineage, quality checks, and governance—so it’s not just documentation, but an active part of ensuring data trust across the enterprise.
What is the purpose of a data dictionary?
The primary purpose of a data dictionary is to help data teams understand and use data assets effectively. It provides a centralized repository of information about the data, including its meaning, origins, usage, and format, which helps in planning, controlling, and evaluating the collection, storage, and use of data.
What are some best practices for data dictionary management?
Best practices for data dictionary management include assigning ownership of the document, involving key stakeholders in defining and documenting terms and definitions, encouraging collaboration and communication among team members, and regularly reviewing and updating the data dictionary to reflect any changes in data elements or relationships.
How does a business glossary differ from a data dictionary?
A business glossary covers business terminology and concepts for an entire organization, ensuring consistency in business terms and definitions. It is a prerequisite for data governance and should be established before building a data dictionary. While a data dictionary focuses on technical metadata and data objects, a business glossary provides a common vocabulary for discussing data.
What is the difference between a data catalog and a data dictionary?
While a data catalog focuses on indexing, inventorying, and classifying data assets across multiple sources, a data dictionary provides specific details about data elements within those assets. Data catalogs often integrate data dictionaries to provide rich context and offer features like data lineage, data observability, and collaboration.
What challenges do organizations face in implementing data governance?
Common challenges include resistance from business teams, lack of clear ownership, siloed systems, and tool fragmentation. Many organizations also struggle to balance strict governance with data democratization. The right approach involves embedding governance into workflows and using platforms that unify governance, observability, and catalog capabilities.
How does data governance impact AI and machine learning projects?
AI and ML rely on high-quality, unbiased, and compliant data. Poorly governed data leads to unreliable predictions and regulatory risks. A governance framework ensures that data feeding AI models is trustworthy, well-documented, and traceable. This increases confidence in AI outputs and makes enterprises audit-ready when regulations apply.
What is data governance and why is it important?
Data governance is the framework of policies, ownership, and controls that ensure data is accurate, secure, and compliant. It assigns accountability to data owners, enforces standards, and ensures consistency across the organization. Strong governance not only reduces compliance risks but also builds trust in data for AI and analytics initiatives.
What is the difference between a data catalog and metadata management?
A data catalog is a user-facing tool that provides a searchable inventory of data assets, enriched with business context such as ownership, lineage, and quality. It’s designed to help users easily discover, understand, and trust data across the organization. Metadata management, on the other hand, is the broader discipline of collecting, storing, and maintaining metadata (technical, business, and operational). It involves defining standards, policies, and processes for metadata to ensure consistency and governance. In short, metadata management is the foundation—it structures and governs metadata—while a data catalog is the application layer that makes this metadata accessible and actionable for business and technical users.
What features should you look for in a modern data catalog?
A strong catalog includes metadata harvesting, search and discovery, lineage visualization, business glossary integration, access controls, and collaboration features like data ratings or comments. More advanced catalogs integrate with observability platforms, enabling teams to not only find data but also understand its quality and reliability.
Why do businesses need a data catalog?
Without a catalog, employees often struggle to find the right datasets or waste time duplicating efforts. A data catalog solves this by centralizing metadata, providing business context, and improving collaboration. It enhances productivity, accelerates analytics projects, reduces compliance risks, and enables data democratization across teams.
What is a data catalog and how does it work?
A data catalog is a centralized inventory that organizes metadata about data assets, making them searchable and easy to understand. It typically extracts metadata automatically from various sources like databases, warehouses, and BI tools. Users can then discover datasets, understand their lineage, and see how they’re used across the organization.
What are the key features of a data observability platform?
Modern platforms include anomaly detection, schema and freshness monitoring, end-to-end lineage visualization, and alerting systems. Some also integrate with business glossaries, support SLA monitoring, and automate root cause analysis. Together, these features provide a holistic view of both technical data pipelines and business data quality.
How is data observability different from data monitoring?
Monitoring typically tracks system metrics (like CPU usage or uptime), whereas observability provides deep visibility into how data behaves across systems. Observability answers not only “is something wrong?” but also “why did it go wrong?” and “how does it impact downstream consumers?” This makes it a foundational practice for building AI-ready, trustworthy data systems.
What are the key pillars of Data Observability?
The five common pillars include: Freshness, Volume, Schema, Lineage, and Quality. Together, they provide a 360° view of how data flows and where issues might occur.
What is Data Observability and why is it important?
Data observability is the practice of continuously monitoring, tracking, and understanding the health of your data systems. It goes beyond simple monitoring by giving visibility into data freshness, schema changes, anomalies, and lineage. This helps organizations quickly detect and resolve issues before they impact analytics or AI models. For enterprises, data observability builds trust in data pipelines, ensuring decisions are made with reliable and accurate information.

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