Data Spaces for Heterogeneous Data Ecosystems – Findings from a Design Study in the Cultural Sector

Summary

This design study reports on building a data space for the cultural sector, where actors differ widely in size, structure, digital maturity and technical capability. The authors designed and qualitatively evaluated two foundational artifacts, a network architecture and a data exchange standard, to balance interoperability with those differing capabilities. They derive a design principle: data spaces should include heterogeneous actors by simplifying participation and lowering entry barriers, with fair access regardless of size, resources or technical capability.