The “SElf-Data for Enhancing Lifelong learning Autonomy” (SEDELA) project started in September 2017. It gathers researchers from both IT and education science fields. The project aims to enhance learner’s autonomy skills in a lifelong learning perspective as well as develop, experiment and implement an innovative self-data management approach (El Mawas et al., 2017). Autonomy in adult education is defined as “the ability to take charge in one’s learning” (Holec, 1981, p.3), meaning specifically “determining the objectives; defining the contents and progressions; selecting methods and techniques to be used; monitoring the procedure of acquisition properly speaking (rhythm, time, place, etc.); evaluating what has been acquired” (Holec, 1981, p.3). Autonomous learners must have the capacity for critical reflection, decision making, and independent action (Little, 1991). But independence does not mean isolation as others often constitute resources for autonomous learners. Autonomy is considered as a central asset for lifelong learning. Therefore, supporting students to develop their autonomy’s skills has become a major issue for higher education (Poumay, 2017). Moreover, autonomy is a key skill in the professional development. Professional development can either be defined as a process or as a stage development (Uwamariya & Mukamurera, 2005) and may be measured using specific indicators (Lefeuvre, Garcia & Namolovan, 2009). The approach of professional development by Eneau, Lameul & Bertrand (2014) is relevant because it offers a holistic vision with three different entries: identity construction; professional socialisation; professional posture development. In this context, how may the implementation of a self-data management approach enhance learner’s autonomy skills in their professional development? Based on previous research (Nguyen & Ikeda, 2015), we suggest that implementing a self-data management approach may have a positive effect on the learner’s autonomy skills development in the apprenticeship context. Both objectives set by the SEDELA project are narrowly intertwined: implementation of the approach and autonomy skills evaluation. To address both objectives, a design-based research method is being deployed (Brown, 1992; Class & Schneider, 2013; Štemberger & Cencič, 2016). Design-based research is defined as a method that “combines empirical educational research with a theoretically substantiated shaping of learning environments” (Štemberger & Cencič, 2016, p.183) and aims to “build a stronger connection between educational research and real-world problems” (Amiel & Reeves, 2008, p.34). The process of design-based research is based on four phases (Design-Based Research Collective, 2003; Herrington, McKenney, Reeves & Oliver, 2007; Štemberger & Cencič, 2016). The first phase consists in scrutinizing a few apprenticeship training programmes in order to identify pedagogical needs. Then, the second phase implies developing a functional specification in order to build a prototype of a tool. The third phase consists in testing prototypes iteratively and also entails data collection. The fourth phase concludes the research by bringing solutions to the problem and presenting the final design of the developed approach. Data are being collected as the project is ongoing. Therefore, the first results drawn from the prototype experimentations will be presented at the conference. We will also discuss the design-based research iterative method and its implications in data gathering.