The Federal Big Data Research and Development Strategic Plan

A primary objective of this document is to outline the key Big Data R&D strategies necessary to keep the Nation competitive in data science and innovation and to prepare for the data-intensive challenges of tomorrow. As a strategic plan, this document provides guidance for Federal agencies and policymakers in determining how to direct limited resources into activities that have the greatest potential to generate the greatest impact. The Plan profiles R&D areas that span multiple disciplines, surfacing intersections of common interest that could stimulate collaboration among researchers and technical experts in government, private industry, and academia. The Plan also offers ideas for decision makers to consider when deliberating about investments in Big Data in their respective domains. Additionally, this Plan is the Big Data SSG's response to Recommendation 11c of the 2015 review of NITRD by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to "coordinate a process to publish and publicly discuss periodically a research and coordination plan for its area of interest." The Plan is built around the following seven strategies that represent key areas of importance for Big Data research and development (R&D): Strategy 1: Create next-generation capabilities by leveraging emerging Big Data foundations, techniques, and technologies. Strategy 2: Support R&D to explore and understand trustworthiness of data and resulting knowledge, to make better decisions, enable breakthrough discoveries, and take confident action. Strategy 3: Build and enhance research cyberinfrastructure that enables Big Data innovation in support of agency missions. Strategy 4: Increase the value of data through policies that promote sharing and management of data. Strategy 5: Understand Big Data collection, sharing, and use with regard to privacy, security, and ethics. Strategy 6: Improve the national landscape for Big Data education and training to fulfill increasing demand for both deep analytical talent and analytical capacity for the broader workforce. Strategy 7: Create and enhance connections in the national Big Data innovation ecosystem.