Data mesh is an organizational principle where responsibility for data lies not centrally with IT but with the business departments that create and best understand the data. Each department is responsible for its data products — with defined quality standards, clear interfaces, and a shared infrastructure platform.

For mid-sized companies, data mesh becomes relevant when the organization is large enough that central data teams become a bottleneck. From around ten business departments and a double-digit number of data sources, decentralized responsibility solves a real problem. Important: data mesh does not mean anarchy. The technical platform and governance standards remain centralized.