Auf dem Weg zur digitalen Föderation – Ein Vorgehensmodell für die Realisierung von dezentralen Datenräumen mit Gaia-X

The digital transformation reveals a cross-industry impact entailing data-based value creation potential, for instance, to improve the competitiveness of companies. At the same time, transformative evolvements through digital innovations are associated with challenges for organizations in terms of data protection, data security, and data interoperability. In this vein, the Gaia‑X initiative represents a technical framework promoting an emerging data ecosystem to address existing challenges and strengthen a sovereign digital economy. Although the application of Gaia‑X components occurs in various domains, no uniform understanding of the formation of digital data-oriented alliances and the development of decentralized data spaces with Gaia‑X currently exists. This situation hinders a sovereign exchange of data and services and the creation of data-driven business models. To address the existing gap, this study develops a process model for initializing digital federations and realizing decentralized Gaia‑X data spaces. Based on workshops held as part of the ongoing consortium research project Gaia-X 4 ROMS, objectives and design requirements for the process model are derived and subsequently evaluated. The exemplary process model comprises six process steps and defines various activities, from the formation of the organizational community to the operationalization of the decentralized data space. Through the interoperable and sovereign provision of digital federations, the paper discusses implications and provides an outlook for future developments.