Our Mission
Established in 2003, the Data Documentation Initiative Alliance (DDI Alliance) is an international collaboration of member organizations that develops open metadata standards to enhance the quality, interoperability, and reusability of research data across social, economic, and health sciences. The Data Documentation Initiative has been recognized as an international standard through the publication of ISO/PAS 25955:2026, which describes shared and interoperable features across the DDI family of standards.
Membership is open to organizations worldwide, regardless of discipline or sector, and is maintained through annual dues, in-kind contributions, and adoption of DDI standards and products.
The Alliance operates under its Bylaws (PDF) and is governed by an Executive Board and an Executive Director. A Scientific Board oversees the technical and scientific direction, while a small Secretariat at the Host Institution manages daily operations.