Module 1 Handbook

You may come across people who are unwilling to share data. It will be one of your biggest challenges, and is common when there is a lack of clear policy and process for data sharing and access.

Data sharing and access processes help people to feel comfortable accessing, using and sharing data.

Symptoms

Within a grant project or programme, you may come across one or more of these symptoms:

• no data sharing mechanisms or a lack of confidence in them
• silos within organisations or governments meaning processes and approaches differ
• changes in leadership impacting investment in sharing

In these cases, policies and processes are restrictive and do not support the sharing and reuse of data. This results in a closed (or walled garden) environment. This reduces innovation capabilities and prevents data reaching those who can benefit from fair and equitable access. 

Solutions

You must develop, enforce and adhere to policies and processes that support data sharing and access. 

You can explore more about how to support data sharing and access though the related modules:

• Maximising reuse of data through licensing and sharing (Module 5 Handbook) 
• Assessing the enabling environment in-country to support data sharing (Module 2 Handbook)