Guiding Questions

Purpose of this Building Block Component: Use cases are the anchor points of any data space; they provide a concrete reason for stakeholders to participate and collaborate. Each use case should be mapped along: Stakeholders involved (who needs what data, and why), Data flows and value exchanges, Business and sustainability outcomes, and Scalability and replicability potential.

Use Case Title and Identifier

Purpose: Create a recognisable name and ID for easy reference.

1. What is the name of the use case?

2. Is there an identifier or code used internally or by the consortium?

Problem Definition & Context

Purpose: Define the environmental or operational challenge being addressed.

1. What environmental, regulatory, or market need does this use case aim to solve?

2. What is the context in which this problem occurs (sector, region, system)?

3. What makes the problem relevant for the Green Deal or EU sustainability goals?

4. How can gaps in data availability or quality be addressed when choosing use cases?

Use Case Objectives

Purpose: Clarify the goals and ambitions of the use case.

1. What are the specific outcomes this use case aims to achieve?

2. Which sustainability metrics or business goals will it support?

3. How will success be measured?

4. How can business, regulatory, and technical requirements be integrated efficiently?

Stakeholder Involvement

Purpose: Identify key actors in the data value chain and their roles.

1. Who are the key stakeholders involved (e.g., data providers, processors, users, decision-makers)

2. What role does each actor play (e.g., share data, analyse, visualise, take action)?

3. Are any public authorities, SMEs, or NGOs participating?

4. How can participants provide input to ensure use cases are relevant and practical?

Data Needs & Sources

Purpose: Describe what data is needed and where it comes from.What types of data are required (e.g., emissions data, material flows, building info)?

1. What types of data are required (e.g., emissions data, material flows, building info)?

2. Who are the data providers?

3. What is the format, frequency, and level of detail of the data?

4. Are there interoperability or standardisation challenges?

Data Sharing & Interactions

Purpose: Describe how data will be shared and exchanged between parties.

1. What data sharing agreements or governance rules are needed?

2. Which participants will consume or enrich the data?

3. How will data sovereignty and access control be ensured?

4. Is there a need for a specific Trust Framework or data space technical connector?

5. How can alignment among participants be maintained during implementation

Architecture

Purpose: Show how the use case integrates with the broader architecture.

1. Which building blocks (Governance, Business, Technical) are used?

2. Will the use case integrate a Data Space Connector, a Trust Anchor, or a data intermediary?

3. Does it follow some standards, like DSSC, iSHARE, SIMPL, etc?

4. What mechanisms ensure smooth scaling and integration with existing systems?

5. How can coordination be improved across federated operators or multiple ecosystems?

6. Which tools best support collaboration and scaling?

Timeline and Maturity

Purpose: Define the development status and roadmap of the use case.

1. Is this a concept, pilot, or operational use case?

2. What are the key milestones (e.g., prototype, deployment, scaling)?

3. What technical or organisational dependencies exist?

4. How can insights from abandoned use cases guide future decisions?

5. How can feedback loops be structured to allow flexible adaptation?

Value Proposition & Expected Impact

Purpose: Summarise the added value for stakeholders and broader sustainability goals.

1. What concrete value does this use case deliver to stakeholders (economic, social, environmental)?

2. How does it contribute to Green Deal objectives (e.g., circular economy, emissions reduction)?

3. Is there potential for replication or scaling?

Risks and Barriers

Purpose: Identify potential challenges and mitigation strategies.

1. What are the technical, organisational, or legal barriers?

2. Are there risks related to data quality, privacy, or stakeholder engagement?

3. How can these be mitigated?

Alignment with EU Policies or Standards

Purpose: Ensure strategic alignment with regulatory and policy frameworks.

1. Does the use case align with EU Taxonomy, CSRD, EPBD, SFDR, or other legislation?

2. Are any standardisation frameworks (e.g., ETSI, CEN/CENELEC) being applied?

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Supporting materials (Optional

Purpose: Provide diagrams, mock-ups, or links that support understanding.

• Data flow diagrams

• Mockups or MVP screenshots

• Stakeholder maps

• Links to documentation or previous results