Mapping Data Journeys and the Research Data Life-Spiral

Post contributed by Dr Christiana McMahon, Research Data Support Officer at UCL

The theme of Love Data Week 2026 is where’s the data? – and what a great question!

At UCL, data means evidence. It is the foundation supporting your published or unpublished research findings and often the catalyst for collaboration and innovation. Data may be factual, observational or an experience on which an argument or theory is built or tested. Evidence might be numerical, descriptive, aural or visual[i].

For example, your data could be a set of rock samples, a portfolio of artworks, a collection of ancient artifacts or perhaps photographs of rare plants. These data may be immediately openly available to the wider academic and public communities or be subject to access restrictions which could prevent them from being available for sharing or reuse straightaway.

Mapping the data journey

As many of us know, the journey data take across a research project is rarely linear. It is complex and often shaped by academic domain, methodology and the continuously evolving nature of the research itself. Nonetheless, most researchers follow a similar series of events when carrying out a study: planning and preparing; actively researching; archiving, preserving and curating; and discovery, access and sharing. Combined, these events form one iteration of the research data lifecycle.

The research data lifecycle is usually depicted as some kind of circle with a beginning and an end, illustrating the research process. It is possible that a secondary researcher or member of the public could discover your research and where possible, continue the life of the data by reusing them. This forms the basis of a cyclical approach to managing and sharing research data.

But each of these iterations are not necessarily separate entities – since one cycle leads to another, the research data lifecycle acts more like a spiral. Each cycle is joined to the next by discovery, access and sharing so that a new study might be planned for. It is by having this joined up approach to managing and sharing research data that we can continue to maximise the research potential of existing resources using them in ways not previously thought of.

Calling all data navigators

I started thinking about the journeys staff and students take during their time here at UCL when it comes to managing and sharing data. Regardless of academic discipline, research projects begin the same way – with an idea. A question to answer, a wonder to explore, a connection to make – and it is this spark that binds us together. Through our research, we are tackling global challenges, informing policy and transforming practice all with the aim of making the world a better place.

Supporting the spiral trekkers

The role of the Research Data Management team in Library Services is to advise UCL communities on managing and sharing their research outputs. But we are not alone in this. We are part of a wider, interconnected network of teams, each with their own area of expertise: Bibliometrics, Citizen Science, Copyright, Open Science & Scholarship, Open Access, Data Protection, Ethics, Data Stewardship, Co-production and Public Engagement, Accessibility… just to name a few, so get in touch – we’re all here to help!

[i] UCL Research Data Policy https://doi.org/10.5522/04/25579800

 

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