This Data Sharing Risk Assessment tool aims to help organisations to identify, assess and manage risks related to sharing data they hold. It is designed to help data controllers provide direction to senior leaders about if and when specific data can, or should, be shared.

Screenshot of Data Sharing Risk Assessment tool shown on laptop screen

This tool seeks to provide early steps to consider real and perceived risks in sharing data and to identify suitable mitigating actions. The tool includes typical risk categories, key questions to consider and suggestions on how to minimise harm.The risks in this guide are generic, and applicable to all types of data, regardless of domain, sector or geography.

The output of the tool is a risk register. This can be downloaded as an Excel sheet (csv) or Word document, providing maximum flexibility for integration with project outputs and existing risk registers.

The Data Sharing Risk Assessment will help you and your teams to:

  • identify and assess the risks that need to be considered when sharing a dataset through a series of guided questions
  • introduce a framework for effective risk management processes when sharing a dataset
  • record and prioritise the risks that have been identified in a companion risk register that can be shared with relevant stakeholders
  • consider and implement appropriate mitigations that enable the dataset to be shared

Overview of the tool and getting started

The Data Sharing Risk Assessment (DSRA) tool is available online via the link below. You will need an ODI Account to access the tool.

Once registered and signed in you can create your first assessment. The tool will ask you a few details about your project which get included in the document output. There are then 12 key questions to answer, each will prompt you to consider a number of areas and allow you to add identified risks to you risk register. At any point you can view the generated report, ensuring that you are capturing all the relevant risks.

Assessments can be shared with others (who will also need an account) for contribution and review.

Access the tool here