Scoping Study and Implementation Plan Released

The JISC-funded Incremental project has released its scoping study into researchers' data management needs at the Universities of Cambridge and Glasgow. The re is also available form a a blog dedicated to "improving and increasing electronic research data management in UK higher education institutions."

The report contains several recommendations that should improve access to research data. Some of them there oriented towards researchers, some of them towards repository.

1) Produce simple, visual guidance on creating, storing and managing data
Produce flow charts, diagrams, FAQs, checklists
It is possible to use current tools, but they need to be simplified, the language needs to be free of professional jargon, and if possible they should contain some visual clues.
The report mentioned the ongoing Mellon Foundation-funded revisions of the Archaeological Data Service (ADS) Guides to good Practice as an example for implementation.

2) Offer practical data training with discipline specific exemplars
The report stated that researchers were keen on consulting the guidelines or

"flexible modes of training such as online tutorials, video case studies, etc. The main targets for this kind of research are PhD students and researchers just starting their careers. This is particularly interesting and important, since many of them are later assigned data curatorial tasks."

3) Connect researchers with support staff for tailored advice, guidance and partnering
This point is mainly concerned with guidance and support for writing sections of grant applications that deal with data management. This is of growing importance as many major grant agencies want to see some kind of data management plan. See NSF to Ask Every Grant Applicant for Data Management Plan

4) Work towards the development of a comprehensive data management infrastructure
Researchers asked for more storage options, including a slow, BUT reliable system that would make digital preservation possible. While the storage is of great importance, sharing of data, and easy of access do also need to be taken into consideration. Such repository should also provide support for the researchers, hence the procedure documents and guidelines should be readily available and at hand.

The attached to the report are interview templates that can help with crafting internal policies needed for the digital preservation audit.

The language of those policies is really important and the blog entry on the scoping study makes clear: "Researchers and support staff tended to be suspicious of ‘policies,’ which sound like hollow mandates, but were sometimes receptive to ‘procedures’ or ‘advice’ which may be essentially the same thing, but convey a sense of purpose and assistance rather than requirement". This may seem like a linguistic nuance, but it the word choice sends an essential message.