What is the service/product?
The product is the book "Navigating Research Data Governance," an IDM publication available at store.idm.sa and authored by Dr. Nasser F BinDhim and Nora A Althumiri. It is a practical guide for universities and research centers to transform research data into strategic assets. The book serves as the companion guide behind ZDataCloud's institutional research data governance capabilities, which are aligned with ISO governance standards. It is not a standalone service but a written publication that also introduces ZDataCloud as the cloud-based solution embodying its principles. The store page describes it as essential for institutions seeking leadership in data-driven innovation.
Who needs it?
The primary audience is researchers, data officers, and universities working toward research data compliance and governance in the research, education, and data governance domains. More specifically, universities and research centers that possess valuable research data but have not yet asserted effective ownership over it need this guide. Institutions aiming to shift from a traditional passive stance to a more assertive approach in managing and owning research data will find it relevant. It is also for those seeking to align their governance practices with ISO standards and to adopt ZDataCloud. The book targets academic institutions that want to become data-driven and treat research data as a strategic asset.
What problem does it solve?
The book addresses the significant gap in research data governance where universities and research centers, despite possessing invaluable data, fail to assert effective ownership. It provides a roadmap for institutions to claim back ownership of their research data, which is often scattered or under-governed. The guide shows how governance boosts data quality and value creation, turning research data into strategic assets rather than unused records. It also solves the problem of institutions lacking a practical, step-by-step path from recognizing data value to implementing governance, by including a call-to-action chapter and linking to ZDataCloud. This helps institutions overcome inertia in data management and move toward compliance.
How does IDM deliver it?
IDM delivers the guidance as a published book available for purchase at store.idm.sa, written by Dr. Nasser F BinDhim and Nora A Althumiri. The book is structured in chapters: initial chapters set the stage by describing the current scenario where institutions fail to assert data ownership, a later chapter provides a call to action, and final chapters describe ZDataCloud as the cloud-based solution that embodies the governance principles. Delivery is therefore through a written, sequential guide that moves from diagnosis to recommended action to technology implementation. The companion ZDataCloud solution is presented as the operational tool that applies the book's principles in practice. No consulting engagement or workshop is described in the provided knowledge; the primary delivery mechanism is the publication itself.
What are the deliverables?
The deliverable is the book "Navigating Research Data Governance," which the reader receives as a complete publication from store.idm.sa. Within the book, the reader gets initial chapters that elucidate the current scenario of research data ownership, a call-to-action chapter urging institutions to embrace governance, and final chapters covering ZDataCloud. The book also serves as a practical guide with a roadmap for transforming research data into strategic assets. No separate reports, templates, or software licenses are mentioned as deliverables in the provided knowledge; the book itself is the primary artifact. The companion ZDataCloud solution is described within the book but is not listed as a deliverable of the publication.
When should an organization use it?
An organization should use this book when it recognizes that its research data is underutilized or ungoverned, despite being valuable. It is appropriate when a university or research center is preparing to align its data practices with ISO governance standards or to adopt ZDataCloud. The guide is also relevant when leadership wants to shift the institution toward a data-driven model and needs a structured roadmap rather than ad hoc measures. It can be used at the start of a governance initiative, before implementing technology, or when compliance requirements demand formal data stewardship. The call-to-action chapter makes it suitable for moments when institutional decision-makers need a persuasive case for investing in research data governance.
What alternatives exist?
The provided knowledge does not name any alternative products, services, or publications for research data governance. It focuses exclusively on IDM's book "Navigating Research Data Governance" and its companion cloud-based solution ZDataCloud. No competing governance frameworks, books, or software are mentioned in the source material. Therefore, a comparison of alternatives cannot be made from this information. The only related offering identified is ZDataCloud itself, which is presented as the embodiment of the book's principles rather than an alternative to it.
What differentiates IDM?
IDM's differentiation lies in pairing a practical governance guide with a specific cloud-based solution, ZDataCloud, which embodies the book's principles and is aligned with ISO governance standards. Unlike generic governance literature, this publication is explicitly the companion guide behind ZDataCloud's institutional research data governance capabilities, making the guidance directly actionable in a technology context. The book is authored by Dr. Nasser F BinDhim and Nora A Althumiri, and includes a call-to-action chapter that pushes institutions to move from passive data management to assertive ownership. The final chapters connect the conceptual roadmap to ZDataCloud, providing a path from reading to implementation. This integration of published methodology with a named software solution is the key differentiator in the provided knowledge.
Available for purchase at the IDM online store
Buy now