Identifying key factors in designing data spaces for Urban Digital Twin Platforms: a data driven approach

The growing importance of data spaces, which promote the exchange of data across various domains, has generated considerable attention. The existing body of research on the adoption of data space and federated data sharing has predominantly focused on technological factors. However, there is an increasing acknowledgment of the need for a more holistic perspective. This study presents an exploratory investigation based on the Grounded Theory methodology-based survey, that incorporates interviews with professionals from different sectors. Through this research, the most significant data key factors that drive the data space design as support for an Urban Digital Twin Platform. The findings obtained from this research indicate 4 main characteristics and 11 subcategories that are obtained in compliance with the European reference specifications in data space design. These findings can be used for matching the needs perceived from professionals with the European reference specifications. Regarding the matching results, some final considerations are provided.