Data architect

Data architects design how the organisation structures, stores, moves, and governs its health and care data, so that it can be used safely for direct care, service planning, and research. They design data models, data platforms, and data flows, set data standards, and make sure clinical meaning, quality, and confidentiality are kept from end to end.

Family: Architecture
UK GDaD PCF role: Data architect (Architecture)
ESCO occupations: database designer (ISCO-08 2521); data warehouse designer (ISCO-08 2521)
On GitHub: Role document · Role data

Levels

Band	Role level	UK GDaD PCF level	Civil Service grades	Job evaluation points
8a	Data architect	Data architect	SEO/G7	560
8b	Senior data architect	Senior data architect	G7/G6	613
8c	Chief data architect	Chief data architect	G6	662

In a digital health care organisation

Health data must keep its clinical meaning, so data models use clinical terminologies such as SNOMED CT and classifications such as ICD.
Data used for direct care and data used for planning or research have different legal bases, so architects design for separation, de-identification, and controlled access.
Data comes from many clinical and care systems of varying quality, so architects design for data quality checks, patient matching, and lineage.
Shared care records and data exchange depend on common models such as HL7 FHIR resources and agreed national or international datasets.
Records must be kept for long retention periods, so designs must plan for archiving and access to historical data.

UK GDaD PCF role description

A data architect sets the vision for the organisation’s use of data, through data design, to ensure that data is managed properly and meets the organisation’s needs.

Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

ESCO occupations and skills

ESCO lists the skills and knowledge that employers usually need (essential) or may need (optional) for each occupation. Use them as a checklist for development conversations.

database designer

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/8d9ec84d-cf2d-4179-87bc-335cda54a427 · ESCO code 2521.2 · ISCO-08 2521 Database designers and administrators

Database designers specify the database's logical structure, processes, and information flows. They design data models and databases to serve data acquisition.

Essential skills and knowledge (27)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Optional skills and knowledge (76)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

data warehouse designer

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/1562c7a3-c7d9-419d-b9b6-db26610bcf84 · ESCO code 2521.5 · ISCO-08 2521 Database designers and administrators

Data warehouse designers are responsible for planning, connecting, designing, scheduling, and deploying data warehouse systems. They develop, monitor and maintain ETL processes, reporting applications and data warehouse design.

Essential skills and knowledge (28)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Optional skills and knowledge (82)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Contains ESCO v1.2.1 data (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). © European Union. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.