Case Study
Data Lineage and Provenance Tracking
- Client Global financial services firm with complex cross-system data flows
- Platform Waltz Enterprise Architecture
- Focus Trusted lineage, provenance, and impact visibility
- Outcome Faster analysis, stronger governance, greater confidence in data
For many organisations, data lineage is fragmented across spreadsheets, diagrams, legacy documentation, and tribal knowledge. Teams may understand parts of the journey, but not the whole picture. HMx Labs helped this client build a connected lineage capability, one that gave decision-makers real confidence in the data behind their business.
The Ask
Executives needed answers they could act on, not more documentation. The brief was to build trusted visibility across critical data flows with Waltz so stakeholders could answer the questions that matter most.
- Where did this data come from?
- How was it transformed?
- Which systems depend on it?
- Which source should be trusted?
- What is the downstream impact of change?
The objective was not just better documentation, but a usable capability that supports governance, risk, audit, and delivery teams.
The Challenge
Like many large enterprises, the client's data landscape had evolved over time. Critical information moved across multiple systems and teams, but knowledge of those flows remained fragmented.
- Lineage knowledge was scattered across documents, systems, and individuals
- Identification of authoritative or golden sources was inconsistent
- Root-cause analysis for data quality issues was too manual and time-consuming
- Impact analysis for change initiatives required significant effort
- Governance, risk, and compliance teams lacked a clear audit trail
- Business and technical stakeholders worked from incomplete or different views
Our Approach
HMx Labs worked with the client to build a connected, usable view of lineage using Waltz. It was a practical working tool, not another documentation exercise.
- Identify the most critical systems, datasets, and reporting flows
- Map upstream and downstream movement across key platforms
- Connect lineage to applications, ownership, and organisational context
- Highlight trusted sources and non-standard data consumers
- Improve visibility into dependencies and transformation paths
- Support auditability and regulatory transparency
Waltz integrates with existing enterprise architecture tools and ways of working, so the client built on established knowledge rather than starting from scratch.
The Solution
Using Waltz, HMx Labs helped the client create a connected, enterprise-wide view of how critical data moved across the organisation.
End-to-End Lineage Visibility
Trace data from origin to use across every application, interface, and reporting layer. No more piecing together fragments from separate sources.
Stronger Provenance Tracking
Know exactly where data came from, how it changed, and where it went. Build a defensible view that holds up under scrutiny.
Better Identification of Golden Sources
Pinpoint which systems are authoritative and where duplicated or conflicting data paths create risk.
Faster Impact Analysis
When something changes, answer "what breaks?" in minutes not days of manual investigation.
More Effective Governance
Lineage enriched with business context, ownership, and accountability so governance teams see not just the flow of data, but who's responsible for it.
Improved Collaboration
One shared view for architects, engineers, data teams, and governance. Everyone working from the same picture, not separate documents and assumptions.
The Outcome
With clearer visibility into lineage and provenance, the client moved from fragmented understanding to more confident control of its critical data flows.
- Improved trust in critical data and reporting
- Clearer visibility into upstream and downstream dependencies
- Better identification of trusted source systems
- Faster investigation of data quality issues
- Reduced manual effort in audit and compliance support
- More informed decision-making across governance and change initiatives
Most importantly, lineage became more than a technical artefact. It became a practical business capability that helped the organisation understand its data landscape more clearly, manage risk more effectively, and make decisions with greater confidence.
Why Waltz
Waltz connects data lineage to the wider enterprise context, so you see the full picture, not just isolated flows.
- See the full data journey in one place, not across scattered spreadsheets
- Know which source to trust when numbers don't match
- Answer "what breaks if we change this?" in minutes, not days
- Connect lineage to ownership, so accountability is clear
- Give auditors a traceable, auditable view of data movement
Why HMx Labs
We build lineage capabilities that work under regulatory scrutiny and audit. Technology alone does not solve these challenges. You need the right architectural thinking, implementation approach, and governance understanding.
HMx Labs combines deep expertise in enterprise data, architecture, and regulated environments with hands-on experience deploying Waltz in complex organisations. Our team includes one of the founding developers of Waltz, giving clients direct access to deep platform knowledge from strategy through deployment.
- Define the right lineage and provenance use cases for your organisation
- Prioritise the systems and flows that matter most
- Connect technical lineage with business context and ownership
- Build a scalable capability without proprietary lock-in
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