Open Access

Yusuf BozkurtORCiD, Alexander RossmannORCiD, Zeeshan Pervez, Naeem Ramzan

• In the urban context, data governance has only recently gained attention, though the increased importance of data with the emergence of smart cities is unprecedented. Data governance helps ensure the efficient management, utilization, and protection of data, all essential for enhancing service delivery, refining decision-making processes, and fostering trust in data integrity. This study presents a data governance reference model adapted to urban requirements – the urban data governance reference model – developed following the design science research paradigm. We describe the steps of the reference model development, from establishing a scientific theory base to analysis of the problem environment in 27 EU cities to the development process of the artifact and evaluation through expert interviews in 10 EU cities. The findings reveal that no reference model for urban data governance exists in the scientific literature. In practice, cities face challenges such as data silos, lack of interoperability, and redundancies, as well as a lack of data culture. Support for creating data governance programs is also lacking. The urban data governance reference model harmonizes technology, organization, and culture through four foundation layers and four pillars. Experts' evaluation of the reference model provides essential insights into its completeness, comprehensibility, applicability, and possible improvement measures for future research. It is highly adaptable and can serve as an orientation aid for cities implementing data governance.