Data Ownership Documentation Template
This template records who owns and controls a dataset, who contributed to it, and what may be done with it. It is the written backbone of the community-ownership principle, and it is what lets you answer, years later, the question of who decides.
When to use this template
At project setup, and again at dataset release, updating it as ownership and contributions become clear.
What this document covers
The dataset's identity, its owners and rights holders, the rights in any source data, the contributors, the licensing, and who to contact in a dispute.
Part 1. Dataset identification: [name, version, languages and varieties, modality, size].
Part 2. Ownership and rights holders: the dataset is owned by [community / organisation / individuals], with decision rights held by [named body or role].
Part 3. Source data and third-party rights: source material includes [sources] under [their licences / terms], with any unresolved rights noted here honestly.
Part 4. Contributor contributions: contributors and the nature of their contributions are recorded [here or in a linked register], with their consent and agreements on file.
Part 5. Licensing and permitted uses: the dataset is released under [licence], permitting [uses].
Part 6. Restrictions and obligations: prohibited uses are [e.g. surveillance, re-identification]; reusers must [attribute, share benefit, etc.].
Part 7. Contact and dispute resolution: questions and disputes go to [contact], resolved by [process].
This document works hand in hand with the licence and the data governance chapter: governance is the reasoning, this is the record.