For companies, the term "dark data" has become established for data that is collected, stored but not actively used or analyzed. This unused data is often generated in the course of day-to-day business activities, for example through the recording of customer interactions, log data from machines or the storage of emails and documents. Although dark data could potentially contain valuable informatio
...
n, it is often overlooked or not sufficiently analyzed. The problem with this data is that it is stored, often duplicated by backups, users have no overview of what data is available and how it can be found, wasting manpower and technology resources.
To ensure that no or little dark data is produced in research projects themselves or in digital applications developed for a later commercial use phase, data governance supports data sufficiency by establishing guidelines for the storage, processing and use of data that ensure that high quality data is available that is both easily accessible and potentially useful.