Roles in a Data Team

This week I was asked which roles a (high-performing) data team should have. And instead of an answer my mind was coming up with more questions:

• Do you call the people interacting with the business business analyst or data analyst?
• Do you differentiate between Data Engineers and Data Warehouse Engineers (as it’s a slightly different skill-set) or is it close enough?
• Do you need a Data Architect? Or can it be done by a distinguished Data Engineer on the side?
• How many Data Scientists do you need and what should their profile look like?
• What’s the ratio of Data Engineers to xxx Analysts to Data Scientists?
• etc.

I remembered that I once read an interesting article covering a similar topic: Engineers Shouldn’t Write ETL: A Guide to Building a High Functioning Data Science Department.

If you have a definite answer I’m curious to hear it. I’m still making up my mind as I don’t have a straight answer. My consultant brain is rather telling me: it depends.