A Data Governance Framework for Industry 4.0

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, represents a new stage of evolution in the organization, management and control of the value chain throughout the product or service life cycle. This digitization of the industrial environment is characterized by the connection of Information Technologies (IT) and Operations Technologies (OT) through cyber-physical systems and the Industrial IoT (IIoT). One of the main consequences of this integration is the increasing amount and variety of data generated in real time from different sources. In this environment of intensive generation of actionable information, data becomes a critical asset for Industry 4.0, at all stages of the value chain. However, in order to data become a competitive advantage for the company, it must be managed and governed like any other strategic asset, and therefore it is necessary to rely on a Data Governance system. Industry 4.0 requires a reformulation of governance since the data is a key element and the backbone of the processes of the organization. This paper proposes a Reference Framework for the implementation of Data Governance Systems for Industry 4.0. Previously, it contextualizes data governance for Industry 4.0 environments and identifies the requirements that this framework must address, which are conditioned by the specific features of Industry 4.0, among others, the intensive use of big data, cloud and edge computing, artificial intelligence and current regulations.