Before an engineering group writes any code for a clickstream pipeline, it documents where events come from, where results go, which transformations apply, how encryption is handled, and how jobs are scheduled. Which phase of pipeline work is this?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
Designing and planning a pipeline is the step that defines its inputs and outputs, the transformation logic, the security requirements such as encryption, and how the jobs are orchestrated. Those decisions shape the implementation that follows. Operationalization comes later, when the pipeline is deployed and run reliably. Cost optimization and monitoring both apply to systems that already exist.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Operationalization happens after a design exists, when the pipeline is deployed and supported in production. It assumes sources, sinks, and transformations are already decided.
- C. Cost optimization tunes a pipeline that is already running. It does not decide what the pipeline reads, writes, or how it is scheduled.
- D. Monitoring and alerting are configured once the system is deployed. They observe decisions made during design rather than making them.