A Systematic Survey of Data Value: Models, Metrics, Applications and Research Challenges

Data is central to modern decision making and value creation. Society creates, consumes and collects data at an increasing pace. Despite advances in processing power, data is expensive to maintain and curate. So, it is imperative to have methods and tools to distinguish between data based on its value. Yet, there is no consensus on what characterises the value of data or how this data value should be assessed. This results in heterogeneous data value models and inconsistent measurement techniques that are siloed in specific application domains. This limits the formalisation and exploitation of these concepts. We present in this paper a methodical literature analysis that discusses data value models, assessment metrics and current applications. We also highlight challenges hindering the development and exploitation of data value as concept. This leads to the identification of a set of research questions to help researchers contribute to this emerging field. The aim of this article is to stimulate further research and deployment of quantitative data value models and value-driven applications.