Dataformidling

Dataformidling refers to the distribution, sharing or dissemination of data between parties, systems or organizations. It encompasses the transfer of data from one data source to another, as well as real-time streams, periodic feeds and bulk exchanges. The term emphasizes not only the technical transmission but also the governance and stewardship aspects that accompany data sharing.

Dataformidling can occur within a single organization or across organizational boundaries. Common modalities include APIs (such as REST or GraphQL), file transfers, message queues, and data feeds. Data can be structured (CSV, JSON, XML) or unstructured, and may be integrated into data warehouses, data lakes or data hubs. The process often involves data transformation, matching or enrichment to ensure compatibility and usefulness for recipients.

Governance and standards are central to effective dataformidling. Clear ownership, defined roles and responsibilities, data sharing agreements, and metadata management support responsible use. Data catalogs and lineage tracking help document provenance and quality, while interoperability is aided by common data models, formats and quality measures such as timeliness and accuracy.

Legal and security considerations are essential. Data sharing must comply with privacy and protection laws, including principles such as purpose limitation and, where applicable, consent. Risk assessments like DPIAs may be required. Security controls include encryption, strong access management, and audit trails, alongside safeguards for data in transit and at rest.

Challenges and contexts vary by sector. Common issues include data quality gaps, semantic differences, version control, and cross-organizational governance. Dataformidling is prevalent in public-sector data sharing, healthcare information exchange, financial reporting and open data initiatives. See also data governance, data sharing, data interoperability.