Future Data Services Phase 1: Fixing the Data Pipeline

ESRC has a proud history of investing in data services. Since our formation, 60 years ago, we have invested in a diverse range of infrastructures to cater for a variety of traditional and new data types and research communities, enabling them to discover, access, and use the data they need to explore questions about our society. 

Our vision for the future is of a seamless, connected, user-centred and federated data service landscape, driven by curiosity, collaboration and coordination, and making use of the new technologies that present boundless possibilities for researchers to use data for public good.

ESRC is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).  Our vision aligns with UKRI’s Digital Research Infrastructure programme1 and our aim is to enable different data service infrastructures to jointly deliver discovery, access, support and technology services that maximise data usage.

This vision has emerged from the ESRC Future Data Services Review, which began in 2021. We spoke with researchers, data professionals, data custodians and technologists, to investigate the challenges for accessing and using data, and the opportunities for future data infrastructure provision, within the following four themes:
• Data Discovery and Curation
• Data Access and User Support
• People, Organisations and Culture (within data service infrastructures)
• Ethics, Impact, Legal and Public Engagement 

An additional underlying fifth theme is that of technology, which supports better data discovery and data access, and relies on an upskilled workforce to deliver it.

The first step to achieving our vision is described in this report and focuses on fixing broken and outdated processes that impede researchers on their journey to make the most of the UK’s rich data resources.