What is the term for a series of steps transporting data from sources to destinations, often involving ETL?

The term that refers to a series of steps transporting data from sources to destinations, typically involving extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL), is "data pipeline." This concept is essential in data engineering and analytics because it encapsulates the entire process of moving and preparing data for analysis or use in applications. A data pipeline ensures that data flows in a streamlined manner from various sources, goes through necessary transformations to ensure its usability and quality, and ultimately reaches its intended destination, such as a data warehouse or analytics tools.

Understanding the significance of data pipelines is crucial in the realm of cognitive project management, especially when managing projects that rely heavily on data for insights and decision-making. They play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and availability of data, which is a cornerstone for successful AI projects and applications.