Using SysML as a Modelling Language for Dataspaces

Utilizing data is crucial for economic success, but a lack of interoperability and concerns about the misuse of ones own data are hindering the cross-organizational use of data. Dataspaces provide the infrastructure necessary to integrate heterogeneous data sources within an organization or ecosystem, enabling seamless data interaction and interoperability. In addition, data spaces strengthen data sovereignty through their decentralized nature, which enables organizations to effectively control and manage their data. However, challenges persist in managing the complexity and dynamic nature of dataspaces, requiring significant resources and technical expertise. The decentralized nature leads to a large and diverse number of stakeholders, who need to agree on the use and scope of a dataspace. Modeling is a common approach to cope with technical complexity and heterogeneous stakeholders. In this paper, we propose a version of SysML and a corresponding method that focus on the modelling of data spaces. We provide a dataspace modelling method to unify the understanding of dataspaces and scope among all stakeholders to simplify the design and development process.