Indicators to Digitization Footprint and How to Get Digitization Footprint (Part 2)

As digitization advances, the question of its sustainability arises. In response, the concept of Digitization Footprint (DF) was introduced to quantify aspects like data volume, time, effort, and cost associated with data information during storage, processing, or transfer. This concept supports the analysis of sustainability in Virtual Environment (VE). The Digitization Footprint- Life Cycle Assessment (DF-LCA) has been proposed to further this research by assessing the impact of VE generated by information systems(IS) through a data life cycle model. However, a gap in DF-LCA is the absence of a comprehensive indicator system for DF, leading to a focus primarily on data volume and not adequately quantifying other VE indicators such as time and effort (costs invested in data storage, processing, or transfer). To address this limitation, this paper builds on the indicator system construction suggestions from the original DF research and the indicator classification proposed by DF-LCA. We have systematized the indicator system that constitutes the DF indicators and proposed some common indicators of DF. These indicators enable the quantification of performance, energy consumption, and value of the VE. Additionally, drawing inspiration from the construction method of the LCA database, we propose a method for constructing the DF-LCA database and guidelines for its use. This development enhances the DF-LCA framework and streamlines the process of collecting DPU indicators through the DF-LCA database, making the assessment of VE sustainability more comprehensive and efficient.