Data Management Advent Calendar
Start with Purpose
Every dataset needs a clear purpose. Purpose clarity leads to better metadata, licensing, and reuse.
Good data management starts with a clear purpose. State why the dataset exists, who will use it, and what questions it should answer. Purpose clarity leads to better metadata, more appropriate licensing, and smoother reuse.
Make EO data truly findable and usable.
Make EO data truly findable and usable.
Apply FAIR from the start: make EO data Findable, Accessible,Interoperable and Reusable. Assign persistent identifiers, use standard metadata, and document access methods so machines and people can both discover and use your data.
A simple DMP prevents tech debt.
GEO data management plan: plan early.
Even a light-weight Data Management Plan helps. Describe what data you will collect or generate, who owns it, how it will be stored,licensed, shared, and preserved. Planning early avoids technical and organisational debt later.
Metadata Is Not Optional
Metadata standards pay off every time.
Metadata is not optional. Use community standards like ISO 19115,INSPIRE or DCAT-AP together with domain vocabularies. Good metadata is the bridge that connects your dataset to users and applications.
Accessibility Beyond ‘Open’
Accessibility needs clarity. Document APIs, access paths, rate limits and examples.
Accessibility is more than saying ‘open’. Document how to obtain the data, which APIs and protocols to use, and any authentication or rate limits. Provide examples so users can quickly test access.
Interoperability for Earth observation
Interoperability thrives on standards: OGC APIs + STAC.
Don’t reinvent, integrate.
Interoperability enables observation integration across platforms and digital twins. Use common formats, coordinate reference systems, and standards such as OGC APIs and STAC. Interoperable data flows are easier to automate and scale.
Context matters.
Share your assumptions, processing steps, calibrations and limitations.
Reusability depends on context. Document provenance, processing chains, algorithms, calibration and known limitations. Clear context allows others to safely reuse your data in new applications.
Respect Indigenous rights and data sovereignty.
Respect Indigenous data rights.
Apply CARE principles; Collective Benefit, Authority, Responsibility, Ethics.
Apply the CARE Principles when data relate to Indigenous lands, peoples or knowledge: Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility and Ethics. Co-design data practices with affected communities and respect their rights.
Ethics belong in every EO workflow.
Ethics belong in every EO workflow.
Avoid unintended harm; design with responsibility.
Earth observation data can influence major decisions about land, water and communities. Integrate ethical reflection into the design of data collection, analysis and sharing. Avoid misuse and unintended harm.
TRUST Repositories.
Choose repositories guided by TRUST.
Transparency, Responsibility, User focus, Sustainability, Technology.
Use repositories that follow the TRUST Principles: Transparency, Responsibility, User Focus, Sustainability and Technology. Trustworthy repositories increase confidence, persistence and uptake of EO assets.
Long-Term Preservation
Think beyond projects.
Preserve EO data for decades, not deliverables.
Think of preservation on a 10+ year horizon. Choose durable formats, reliable archival storage, and clear responsibilities. Cloud buckets without a plan are not long-term preservation.
Data sustainability
Make Earth observation services sustainable. Plan governance, funding, maintenance and sunsets.
Data services must be sustainable. Define governance, funding models, maintenance roles and sunset plans. Long-lived Earth observation services need more than project funding.