What does data lineage describe in data governance?

• A. The physical storage location of data in servers.
• B. The lifecycle of data from origin to consumption, including transformations.
• C. The governance policy for data retention.
• D. The rate at which data grows over time.

Answer: (B)

Data lineage describes the journey of data from its origin through its entire lifecycle to its end use, including all transformations, movements, and derivations along the way. This view lets you see where data comes from, how it is changed, and where it is consumed, which is essential for tracing data provenance, understanding impact when changes are made, and ensuring data quality and reproducibility. It is not about where data is physically stored, governance policies, or how fast data grows, which cover storage location, retention rules, or data volume rather than the path data has followed.