tietoalue

Tietoalue is a term used in Finnish information governance and enterprise architecture to describe a logically defined area of information that shares a common meaning and context across multiple information systems. It refers to an information domain that is organized around a business concept rather than a single database or application.

A tietoalue comprises data assets and their metadata that support a specific business capability, such as customer information, financial data, or product data. Each tietoalue has designated data owners and data stewards, as well as governance policies covering data quality, privacy and security, access control, and retention. A common data model, terminology, and data lineage are typically established to ensure consistency and understanding across the organization.

In practice, a tietoalue spans systems and databases, linking data through a shared model and governance rules while allowing data to reside where it is stored. This approach enables data integration, reliable reporting, and informed decision-making by providing a coherent view of information tied to a business concept. It also supports compliance with regulatory requirements by clarifying responsibilities and lifecycle management for the data.

Common examples of tietoalue include customer data alue, product data alue, financial data alue, and HR data alue. The concept is widely used in Finnish public administration and private-sector data governance programs as part of broader information architecture and data governance efforts, helping organizations manage data as a strategic asset.