Datasheet for Dataset Template

Summary

When machine learning models fail spectacularly, it's often because nobody properly documented the datasets they were trained on. Florida Atlantic University's Datasheet for Dataset Template tackles this head-on by providing a systematic framework for dataset documentation. This isn't just another academic exercise—it's a practical tool that helps data scientists, ML engineers, and organizations create comprehensive dataset documentation that prevents costly mistakes and ensures responsible AI development.

What makes this different

Unlike generic data documentation approaches, this template is specifically designed around the concept of "datasheets"—comprehensive documentation that travels with datasets throughout their lifecycle. The template operationalizes the influential research by Timnit Gebru and others, turning academic concepts into actionable documentation practices.

The template covers seven critical dimensions: motivation (why the dataset exists), composition (what's actually in it), collection process (how it was gathered), preprocessing steps, uses and limitations, distribution considerations, and ongoing maintenance. This structured approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Who this resource is for

Primary users:

• Data scientists and ML engineers building datasets for model training
• Research teams publishing datasets for public use
• Data governance professionals establishing documentation standards
• Product managers overseeing AI system development Secondary users:
• Compliance teams needing to demonstrate due diligence in AI audits
• Academic researchers sharing datasets with the broader community
• Procurement teams evaluating third-party datasets

Getting started with dataset documentation

The template follows a question-and-answer format that guides you through comprehensive documentation:

• Motivation section helps you articulate why the dataset was created, who funded it, and what problem it addresses. This context is crucial when others (or future you) need to understand the dataset's original purpose.
• Composition details force you to be explicit about what's included, what's missing, and whether the data contains sensitive information. This section often reveals blind spots in data collection.
• Collection process documentation captures how data was gathered, by whom, and under what conditions. This seemingly mundane information becomes critical when debugging model performance issues.
• Preprocessing transparency documents what transformations were applied, what was filtered out, and what raw data looks like versus the final dataset.

Watch out for

The template's comprehensiveness can feel overwhelming initially. Start with the sections most relevant to your immediate needs rather than trying to complete everything at once. You can always circle back to add detail.

Some organizations get caught up in making datasheets perfect before releasing datasets. Remember that good documentation that exists is better than perfect documentation that never gets created.

The template assumes you have access to information about data collection processes. If you're documenting datasets created by others, you may need to mark certain sections as "unknown" and flag this as a limitation.

Real-world applications

• Internal AI projects: Use the template to document proprietary datasets, ensuring team members understand data limitations and appropriate uses.
• Dataset publishing: Academic and industry researchers use this format when sharing datasets publicly, providing the transparency needed for others to use data appropriately.
• Vendor evaluation: When procuring third-party datasets, use this template as a checklist to evaluate whether vendors provide adequate documentation.
• Regulatory compliance: The structured documentation helps demonstrate due diligence for AI governance requirements across different jurisdictions.

The template has been adopted by organizations ranging from startups to large enterprises as a standard part of their MLOps workflows, often integrated into data pipeline documentation and model cards.