The Service Oriented Toolkit for Research Data Management project was co-funded by the JISC Managing Research Data Programme 2011-2013 and The University of Hertfordshire. The project focused on the realisation of practical benefits for operationalising an institutional approach to good practice in RDM. The objectives of the project were to audit current best practice, develop technology demonstrators with the assistance of leading UH research groups, and then reflect these developments back into the wider internal and external research community via a toolkit of services and guidance. The overall aim was to contribute to the efficacy and quality of research data plans, and establish and cement good data management practice in line with local and national policy.
The final report is available via http://hdl.handle.net/2299/13636
Blog | Survey based on Digital Asset Framework | http://bit.ly/18QUZR9 |
Survey | Survey results | http://bit.ly/1ao74vy |
Report | Survey analysis | http://bit.ly/128uGMK |
Blog | UH Research Data Policy in a nutshell | http://bit.ly/14cXC9w |
Artefact | Interview protocol, used by project analyst and RDM champions | http://bit.ly/12Jr9KZ |
Case studies | 12 Case Studies | http://bit.ly/19MjnD3 |
Review | Review of cloud storage services: features, costs, issues for HE | http://bit.ly/12Jn2yz |
Blog | Files in the cloud | http://bit.ly/R583If |
Test data | Files transfer rate tests | http://bit.ly/1266WsJ |
Blog | Analysis of barriers to use of local networked storage | http://bit.ly/12Gleqg |
Blog | Hybrid-Cloud model: when the cloud works and the attraction of Dropbox et al. | http://bit.ly/Xvmidr |
Blog | Hybrid-Cloud example: Zendto on Rackspace, integrated with local systems | http://bit.ly/11In83q |
Service | UH file exchange | https://www.exchangefile.herts.ac.uk/ |
Blog | Cost of ad-hoc storage | http://bit.ly/19ilycQ |
Blog | Cost of data loss event | http://bit.ly/13RSckb |
Blog | Reflection on use of Rackspace CloudFiles | |
Blog | Data Encryption | http://bit.ly/XxDoEM |
Training | Data Encryption workshop | http://bit.ly/11rwLXA |
Training | Data Encryption guide | http://bit.ly/QHyN2y |
Blog | Document Management for Clinical Trials | http://bit.ly/15cfT5K |
Artefact | eTMF – electronic Trial Master File, 1954 legacy documents scanned | no public access |
Artfifact | Research Project File Plan | http://bit.ly/11InVkW |
Workflow | Post award storage allocation | |
Workflow | Request ‘Research Storage’ Form | http://bit.ly/17V7J8t |
Workflow | Research Grant and Storage Process | http://bit.ly/14kvCB0 |
Workflow | Request ‘Research Storage’ Workflow | http://bit.ly/12d2aJP |
Service | R: (R drive), workgroup space with external access | access by workgroups |
Service | DMS, workgroup space with external access | access by workgroups |
Dataset | 4 Oral history datasets, ~300 interviews, 125GB | http://bit.ly/uh-hhub |
Dataset | 1 Leisure studies dataset, SPSS survey, interviews, transcripts, 8GB | in preparation |
Blog | Comparison of data licenses | http://bit.ly/12DmXfR |
Report | Comparison of data licenses | http://bit.ly/13NC7gA |
Service | UHRA repository improvements phase 1 | http://uhra.herts.ac.uk/ |
Blog | DOIs for datasets, includes mind map | http://bit.ly/QonFoN |
Workflow | Deposit/access criteria for data with a levels of openness | http://bit.ly/12cUqrq |
Service | RDM micro site (aka Research Data Toolkit), 100+ pages and pdfs of RDM guidance | http://bit.ly/uh-rdm |
Report | Register of Programme engagement at external events, estimated audience 480, ~300 individuals | Appendix A |
Blog | Programme engagement: 38 Blog posts | http://research-data-toolkit.herts.ac.uk/ |
Presentation | Association of Research Managers and Administrators Conference 2013 | http://bit.ly/ZXv8RK |
Presentation | UH RDM Stakeholder briefing June 2012 | http://bit.ly/11KkJGo |
Presentation | UH HeaIth and Human Sciences research forum July 2012 | http://bit.ly/15cDUKb |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Nottingham 2012: storage | http://bit.ly/10qpry3 |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Nottingham 2012: repository | http://bit.ly/126zjab |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Nottingham 2012: training | http://bit.ly/15cH1lj |
Presentation | JANET/JISCMRD Storage Requirements workshop Paddington 2013 | http://bit.ly/12QFu9S |
Presentation | JISCMRD benefits evidence workshop Bristol 2013 | http://bit.ly/ZXE09Y |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Aston 2013: training | http://bit.ly/11t3Lg0 |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Aston 2013: agent of change | http://bit.ly/13NVIgH |
Presentation | JISCMRD progress workshop Aston 2013: storage | http://bit.ly/19Juixf |
Report | Register of programme engagement at UH events: interviews (~60), meetings, seminars , workshops. Total attendance 400, est 200-300 individuals | Appendix B |
DMP | 10 data management plans, facilitated by RDM champions and Research Grants Advisor | limited public access |
Report | 6 project manager’s reports to Steering Group | no public access |
Report | Benefits report | http://bit.ly/19V1rWS |
Report | Final Report | http://hdl.handle.net/2299/13636 |
Conclusions
There are many conclusions that could be drawn from the project. These are the headlines:
- JISCMRD has been a success at UH.
- The RDTK project has made an impact in awareness raising and service development, and made good inroads into professional development and training. There are good materials, a legacy of knowledge and a retained group of people to sustain and develop the learning.
- We believe the service orientated approach shows that better technology can facilitate better RDM and the project has been an effective Agent for Change.
- We also understand that advocacy and training are as important as technology to bring about cultural change.
- Funding body policy and the implications of the ever increasing volume of data are understood. The business case is clear: the University cannot afford not to invest in RDM.
- JISCMRD phase2 has been an effective vehicle for knowledge transfer and collaboration. It provided an environment in which a new and complex discipline, and the many, interacting, conflicting, seemingly endless issues therein, could be explored with common cause and mutual support.
Recommendations
JISCMRD activity should continue, and try to reach the part of the research community that is least able to adopt RDM best practice without assistance, and won’t do so as a matter of course. A profitable strand for JISCMRD3 would be Collaborative Services. Appropriate services would include joint RDM support services, or shared specific services, such as regional repositories (including DOI provision) or shared workgroup storage facilities. Institutions with advanced RDM capability could play a mentoring role. Another key strand would be Benefit of Data Re-use; to gather examples of innovative data use and academic merit and reward for individual data publishers.
The DCC should continue in its institutional support role. It should consolidate its DMPonline tool toward a cloud service, with features to allow organisational branding, and template merging. It should place new emphasis on the selection and publishing of data, with a signposting tool for Tier 1 and Tier 2 repositories for subject specific data, including selection criteria, metadata requirements, and citation rates.
Opportunities for organisations to learn from each other and establish collaborations, which have been effective at JISCMRD2 workshops, should continue to be facilitated in some way. In addition, more attempts should be made to reach researchers directly in order to demonstrate the potential personal benefit of good RDM.
The JISC should continue to pursue national agreements via the JANET brokerage. These negotiations should be widened beyond Infrastructure as a Service to include RDM Applications as a Service (RAaaS), for example, Backup as a Service, Workgroup Storage, and Repository as a Service. The goal should be to achieve terms of use which satisfy institutional purchasing, IP and governance requirements; whilst allowing for acquisition by smaller intra-institutional units, from faculty, down to workgroup level. (JISC GRAIL- Generic Rdm Applications Independently Licenced) might be suitable brand for this activity. In addition, JANET should press cloud vendors for an alternative to ‘pay-by-access’ for data which is a barrier to uptake in fixed cost project work.