Research Data Management Roadmap to 2015

Transcription

1 Research Data Management Roadmap to

2 Managing Research Data: Implementation Roadmap Introduction Universities receiving publicly funded research grants must change the way they manage the data generated by their research activities. The government s Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth requires that data and research findings [will be] widely available online for anyone to remix and reuse (BIS, 2011, 7). All publicly funded research councils now require universities to consider carefully how they will manage the data generated by their funded projects to ensure that it is openly available to others so that the full potential for reuse is realised and its benefit to wider society is enhanced. Research Councils UK (RCUK) have produced important guidelines on the management of research data which underpins much of the work planned in this roadmap. The exact data management requirements of each of the research councils varies but the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has produced the most detailed expectations and attached clear deadlines by which it expects Universities to achieve compliance (see recent letter to the Vice-Chancellor appended to this roadmap). Although those deadlines are included in this roadmap, the tasks and work streams to which they refer, will achieve a policy framework, systems and processes and appropriately skilled staff to achieve compliance with all research council requirements. A key data management challenge for all Universities, including Surrey, is the fact that data needs to be stored and curated over long periods (typically 10 years or more) whilst projects are not normally funded for this timescale. Few researchers have a strong interest in long term data archiving but are increasingly having to address the issue in their research bids. The University must therefore provide an infrastructure, a clear policy framework and practical guidance to help researchers plan their data management and then curate the data, on their behalf, over long periods. Apart from complying with research council requirements, effective data management - organised at the University level helps individual researchers who will enjoy time and efficiency benefits but also increased citation rates and easier benchmarking of research across their discipline. The production of data management plans, an often onerous aspect of research bidding, will become straightforward and the support needed to manage research data at each stage of its production and long term curation will be readily available. Approach to developing the roadmap This roadmap was compiled under the supervision of a dedicated Steering Group and was informed by examining current practice and attitudes towards research data management amongst the University s research community. Detailed studies were undertaken with the help of two active research groups at the University: the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) in FEPS and the Surrey Morphology Group (SMG) in FAHS. Extensive professional guidance and independent analysis was provided by the Digital Curation Centre, a JISC funded specialist unit with a remit to develop and deliver digital curation solutions for the HE sector. Reference Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2011) Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth 2

3 Roadmap structure Section Content Purpose Page 1. Thematic 4 overview Narrative description of 3 key phases: Policy and strategy development; service development and policy implementation; Training and development. Includes outline objectives, tasks, dependencies and accountabilities. 2. Gap Analysis Tabulated outline of EPSRC/RCUK data management principles, the Surrey situation (from pilot groups) and the broad work needed to deal with the gaps. 3. SMART task lists Lists of tasks required to meet RCUK data management requirements driven by the gap analysis. 4. Resource requirements 5. Timetable (Gantt chart) Outline of key resources needed to deliver the task list. Includes identification of existing resource, analysis of resource shortfalls and recommended resource additions. To provide an outline timetable with 2015 longstop date of the 3 phases (which overlap). Timetable will be approximate but critical pathway will be largely predetermined. To provide an overview for senior staff and committees. To provide a guiding framework for more detailed task lists To drive the task lists. To determine what, exactly, needs to be done. To assign tasks to individuals/depts and to establish outline timetable To identify owners of tasks and work streams. To secure their commitment. To identify additional required resource and strengthen the case to secure it To provide rough timetable and critical path. To ensure tasks are undertaken in the right order and to monitor the pace of progress

4 Research Data Roadmap Overview The work required to deliver the necessary research data management framework can be separated into three key themes. These are not necessary chronological phases of the project as they overlap significantly but do allow the resources and tasks necessary to achieve full compliance to be grouped into distinct and manageable sections. Policy and strategy development (draft, advocate, consult, ratify) Context/problem Current approaches at the University to the management of data and the production of research data management plans are mixed. Some good practice is in place but some areas are not aware of either the principles or the key practices required to adequately manage research data and to meet the expectations of research funding bodies. Individual researchers are increasingly being asked to produce data management plans as part of their research bids and need a more robust policy framework and guidance documents to help them achieve this. The University also accepts the importance of good data management practice and its own obligation to provide appropriate storage capacity and professional records management support to make this possible. Purpose of the phase The policy development phase of this project aims to standardise practice across the University whilst leaving adequate scope for the departmental and disciplinary variation needed. This includes an articulation of the key principles with which the University expects its research staff to engage; these will align with RCUK principles and are not expected to change in the foreseeable future. However, the framework will also aim to produce more detailed policies and practical guidance to help researchers find workable solutions to the challenge of managing research data. Actions needed (see gap analysis and task lists for more detail) Clearly determine the exact role of key departments: RES, Library, ICU, ITS in all stages of the research data life cycle. Secure the active engagement of senior research staff: Deans and ADRs. This will include the approval of policies and guidelines and an endorsement of the expectations placed on research staff. Determine the links to other research committees such as the Ethics Cttee and Research and Enterprise Cttee. Policy framework to be drafted under the supervision of the Research Data Steering Group but approved by Executive Board/UREC. Key dependencies/risks Enthusiastic engagement and support of senior academic staff is essential as is a clear understanding that research data management is a key component of research excellence. Policy framework must provide guidance that is scaleable and that recognises the differences between disciplines, research funders, departments and data forms. Approval of the policy framework will include a commitment to adequately resource the necessary implementation work. The policy framework will lead to organisational change. 4

5 RACI Matrix Stakeholder R A C I Comments VP (R&E) Y VP is responsible for delivering research excellence of which good research data management is a part. VP must ultimately own the policy framework. RES Y RES will need to contribute to the development of research data plan guidance as part of the bid process. ICU Y ICU responsible for developing and drafting policy framework having consulted with key stakeholders ITS Y Data deposited by researchers into University repositories becomes the responsibility of ITS; working data remains the responsibility of PIs PIs Y Responsible for data management during its live phase and involved in long term curation Researchers Y Key: R= responsible; A = accountable; C = consulted; I = informed Service development/ policy implementation (initiate change, assess current provision and practice; develop or redesign services; implement and evaluate). Context/ problem While the development of policy and guidelines can be based primarily on sector standards and emerging best practice, the design of implementation plans must be geared to local conditions. Research groups in different faculties and disciplines need different levels of support. Some disciplines already store their research data in ways that make it openly available and accessible to others whilst others maintain file structures that are difficult even for immediate colleagues to access. Approaches to designing file structures and metadata disciplines are varied and need to be standardised as much as possible. Practical guidance and support structures to help in the development of research data management plans also need to be provided. Purpose of the phase This phase involves the design of locally applicable systems, processes and guidelines to ensure effective management of research data throughout its lifecycle. These will provide practical help to researchers to enable them to create workable data management plans as part of their bid writing, and to enable them to manage data effectively during the lifetime of the relevant research project. This will ensure that data management commitments are met with the minimum resource and complexity and that the University meets its corporate commitments to store and curate the data for appropriate timescales. It may also be necessary to develop and communicate effective systems and processes for the selective digitisation of hard copy data to better enable it long term curation. The phase will involve extensive further collaboration with researchers outside the initial pilot groups to ensure that all guidelines and processes are scalable and that local variations in practice are built into the plans. It will identify the required resource to manage all aspects of research records metadata, documentation and the hardware/software resources required to manage and analyse the data. 5

6 This phase is labour intensive and will take some time. It will also require competent project management resource to effectively co-ordinate and deliver. Actions needed Further assessments (based on the DAF model) of research groups, departments and faculties outside the initial pilot groups are needed to ensure that guidelines can be implemented or to inform appropriate revisions. Individual departments involved in research processes and practices will need to ensure that they are able (ie have capacity and capability) to meet their obligations to research staff. Research groups and/or departments may need to nominate key contacts who will be trained and consulted as new practices are implemented. The responsibility for determining and publishing appropriate policies for ensuring that data is usable and accessible will need to be communicated clearly to relevant stakeholders so that their role in implementing and complying with the policies is clear. Key dependencies/risks There is a risk that the initial pilot groups are not representative of the general Surrey situation and extensive re-working of the policy framework will be necessary. Some research groups may require autonomy of practice to the extent that providing appropriate support is disproportionately expensive and inefficient. New file structures and practices may expose costly shortcomings in research data storage capacity. The question of whether to backdate the implementation of new practices will arise (especially with paper records). RACI Matrix Stakeholder R A C I Comments VP (R&E)/UREC Y The University is responsible for supporting PIs and their researchers by providing appropriate policies, systems, services, infrastructure, training, support and advice. RES Y Policies and guidelines will need to be built into the standard research bid writing process ICU Y Generic guidelines on data management will need to be developed and adequately resourced project by project support will need to be available to researchers ITS Y ITS are responsible for delivering appropriate storage capacity and for keeping secure data deposited for storage by PIs (working data remains the responsibility of PIs) PIs Y PIs are responsible for offering data that substantiate their research findings for deposit in an appropriate domain or University repository. This includes registering with the University, any data deposited in an external repository Researchers Y Consulted for advice on the value of data for long term curation and on actions needed to keep the data usable and accessible. Key: R= responsible; A = accountable; C = consulted; I = informed 6

7 Training and development Context/problem Effective research data management involves a range of information professionals: librarians, records managers, IT specialists, archivists and research support staff; but to ensure effective management of data at each stage of its life cycle, academic staff must be engaged. Purpose of the phase This phase of the project determines the mechanisms and approaches to be adopted by the Steering Group to engaging and equipping academic staff and their local support teams with the information, skills and access to help to ensure that research data is identified and managed to appropriate standards from its creation, throughout the lifetime of a research project as well as being prepared for its eventual long term preservation. Actions needed Senior academic staff to approve the University s over arching research data management policy and strategy (at EB) Background and basic purposes of the research data management project to be outlined to Deans and ADRs. Programme of research data management workshops to be developed, initially with pilot groups and then rolled out. Development of appropriate data management modules for inclusion in the induction programme of new research staff/pgrs. Development of appropriate records and data management modules to be aimed at PGRs covering all aspects of research data management Creation of web based information portal to serve as a resource hub for all research and related support staff. Key dependencies/risks Different faculties may nominate different roles to act as information champions which might make co-ordinating training delivery difficult. The principle of open access to publicly funded research data is not accepted by all researchers making engagement more difficult. Any training programme will require the support of Staff Development or the Research Development Team in the library and these resources will be limited. RACI Matrix Stakeholder R A C I Comments VP (R&E)/UREC Y Data management capability will become a key measure of research excellence RES Y ICU Y Assumes that PM is assigned to ICU as he/she will lead the development of the programme ITS Y PIs Y Must ensure that all staff working on their research projects have received appropriate levels of available training Researchers Y As part of development of training requirements and content 7

8 Research Data Management Gap Analysis Taken from DCC report on Research Data Surrey workshop held June 2012 Each capability area is benchmarked against the DCC capability matrix which gives a range of statements from 1-5 to reflect levels of preparedness. Capability Area Policy, Strategy Development and Finance These areas map to roadmap tasks at 1. Policy and strategy development; 2. Finance and 3.1 Creation of Information Portal webpages Capability areas Best Practice (level 5 benchmark) Current University level of preparedness Current benchmark score Institutional policy and strategy on managing research data; guidance on how to comply with funder policies, principles and regulatory environment Managing data ownership, FoI, confidentiality and IPR risks Ensuring financial sustainability We have ratified our policy and guidelines, and can show these are well communicated and adopted. We are confident there is high awareness of the regulatory environment, the funding bodies' data policy principles and expectations, and of appropriate use of exemptions that may justify withholding research data. We have clear guidance on the ownership of data and documentation, and effective services to advise on data licensing, manage IPR and FOI risks and negotiate the needs for confidentiality. Data management is adequately resourced and embedded in business planning to ensure continued support for curation; costs are transparent, controlled and recovered through direct or indirect support. With a roadmap drafted and published, initial steps have been taken to agreeing a University strategy and policy. Also the first steps have been taken to consult with researchers and relevant support staff. Guidance exists on these topics, and there is awareness of the need for new guidance regarding RDM, but no defined view on how the balance between accessibility and confidentiality needs to be addressed to comply with RC expectations There is acute awareness of the need to finance roadmap implementation, but finding resources and the methodology to recoup them is still a challenge to be addressed

9 Capability Area Services for Planning, Assessment, Skills These areas map to roadmap tasks at 3.1 Creation of Information Portal webpages; 3.2 Develop training, 4.1 Data management planning Capability areas Best Practice (level 5 benchmark) Current University level of preparedness Current benchmark score Support for planning data management and access Assessing data assets, managing institution-wide risks, gathering requirements for services and addressing these We have implemented measures to help researchers plan data management throughout their projects and submit plans to meet funders' requirements; we ensure researchers comply with any requirement for data access statements in research publications. There is a good awareness at institutional level of publicly funded research data holdings; risks are managed and we periodically update policies and services reflecting external change and researchers' needs for data management support. Although some research groups excel at data management planning, others are less aware of requirements and are not so experienced at writing plans. Faculty information officers have been asked for support on writing DMPs Some pilot work has been undertaken but only in a limited area (FAHS and FEPS) so does not give a full overview. Concerns were raised about a lack of resource for the next step to continue this Delivering the capabilities for data management and curation We have well-developed skills, funding to maintain staff levels. Data skills are embedded in doctoral training and staff development to provide secure and quality assured research data curation processes. Capabilities for RDM were rated as 1., possibly 2, as some people have the knowledge and skills required but this is uncoordinated. It s difficult to know who can support what. 1.5 Capability Area Services for Data Storage, Preservation and Sharing These areas map to roadmap tasks at 4.2 Storage/curation of data; 4.3 Metadata requirements; and 4.4 Non-digital hardcopy data Ensuring accessibility of digital and non-digital data We have effective coordination of systems to store both digital and non-digital data in a manner that ensures efficient access to the public or defined users where appropriate, and that access requests are monitored. Storage provision is under review, and the roadmap plans tasks to address no-digital storage and access requirements 2 9

10 Cataloguing data, publishing materials, and supporting data citation We have effective services to collect and freely publish metadata within 12 months of data being generated, provide a DOI and access terms for associated data, and offer guidance on how to cite datasets. There is coordination of efforts and the library and other services involved are considering how to better support this. Awareness of data ownership is a barrier that clearer guidance could tackle 1.5 Preserving data, its security and continuity of research records We have systems and services to ensure publicly funded research data selected for long-term preservation is securely preserved, subject to legal safeguards equivalent to UK jurisdiction, for at least 10 years after any period of privileged access, or last external access. Research data security and disaster recovery are well understood and planned for at faculty level, although researchers and providers are not always sufficiently aware of each other s needs. Postproject archiving of data is not yet addressed

11 Research Data Management Roadmap Task lists TASK Start date End date 1 POLICY AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT 1.1 Assess existing processes and governance May 2012 June Draft policy and review by Steering Group June 2012 Oct Review by pilot groups Sept 2012 Dec Wider academic review Nov 2012 Feb Committee(s) sign off Jan 2013 Feb Dissemination to research staff and PGRs Feb 2013 Ongoing 2 FINANCE 2.1 Establish required resources to achieve policy implementation June 2012 Aug Evaluate how/where costs can be recovered Aug 2012 Dec Evaluate potential collaborative areas (SETsquared etc) Oct 2012 Dec TRAINING AND ADVOCACY 3.1 Creation of Information Portal on webpages July 2012 Sept Draft guidance to populate Info Portal: file-naming; data management planning; e-records management; file structures; data protection and confidentiality; funders data policies; sharing data; appraisal and selection of data July 2012 Oct Draft templates to populate Info Portal: Data Access Data Management Planning July 2012 Oct Review by pilot groups Oct 2012 Dec publish to webpage Jan 2013 Jan Develop training 11

12 3.2 Identify methods of training delivery Aug 2012 Sept Develop training in: data management planning; naming files; e-records management; file structures; data protection and confidentiality; funders data policies; sharing data; appraisal and selection of data Oct 2012 May Develop training for support staff (ALLs; Faculty Information Officers; Research Finance; ICU Oct 2012 May Inclusion of RDM into induction sessions Jan 2014 ongoing 3.3 Advocacy 3.3 Faculty workshops of RDM Feb 2013 June Creation of Faculty/Discipline "Champions" (possibly ALLs and Faculty Information Officers?) Feb 2013 May Provide policy and basics sheet to new starters April 2014 ongoing 4 SERVICE DEVELOPMENT/IMPLEMENTATION 4.1 Data Management Planning Develop processes for early IT consultation in bid process Nov 2012 March 2013 Develop trigger points within Research Finance process for DMP guidance Nov 2012 March Storage/Curation of data Assess and provide scalable storage systems to meet demand for capacity (include analysis of cloud options) Sept 2013 Sept 2014 Develop processes for inclusion of handover of data in process for Leavers March 2013 June 2013 Evaluate need for institutional repository vs outsourcing Dec 2013 May 2014 Design/procure and implement repository (if required) May 2014 May 2015 Assess requirements for long term data curation May 2014 ongoing 4.3 Metadata Specify minimum metadata requirements March 2013 May 2013 Develop guidance on metadata requirements April 2013 July 2013 Identify metadata catalogue (symplectic?) Jan 2014 June 2014 Develop and implement metadata catalogue July 2014 May

13 4.4 Non-digital, hardcopy data Assess volume of non-digital data Jan 2013 June 2013 Assess space available to store non-digital data Jan 2013 June 2013 Assess requirements of digitising data June 2013 Aug 2013 Develop guidance on digitisation of data June 2013 Oct

14 Research Data Management Roadmap Task and Resource Timeline 14

15 Tasks and resource analysis Task numbers relate to Task Lists in section 3 Tasks Existing capabilities Roadmap area 3.2 Training aimed at PGR Research Development Training and students (Library and Learning Advocacy Support Services) 3.2 Workshops aimed at specific disciplines/faculties to reach Academics at all levels 3.3 Creation of Faculty/Discipline Champions to provide first point information 3.1 Creation of web-based Information Portal containing policy, guidance, templates and links to external pages None existing. Could develop Academic Liaison Librarians (Library and Learning Support Services) for some aspects. Also external trainers None existing. Could develop ALLs, Faculty Information Officers and/or Faculty IT Managers where relevant. Needs input from variety of areas: IT Services, Information Compliance Unit, RES, Research Finance, Library Training and Advocacy Training and Advocacy Training and Advocacy Resource limitations How to address Comments Need to build into existing research development programme delivered by Library staff. Significant additional work and the team already stretched. No identified personnel to deliver Different faculties may nominate different roles. Likely to be either: ALL, Faculty IT Manager or Information Officer. Not clear what capacity exists to take on this significant extra responsibility. Requires project management not currently available. Normal challenges of progressing new web Need to consider additional library resource Could use Academic Liaison Librarians who understand the discipline specific topics but already stretched. Some training could be delivered by external providers. Nomination needs to be agreed by Faculty Dean Needs PM to act as co-ordinator and liaison with University web team RDP already well subscribed so limited opportunity for cuts that might free capacity. Some opportunities for discipline specific training using teams from other institutions or the DCC The info portal will be an essential element of the project. 15

16 Tasks Existing capabilities Roadmap area 1.1 Assess existing processes and governance 1.2 Research Data Management Policy 1.2 and 3.3 Provision of policy to all new research members of staff 4.4 Assessment of volume of non-digital material 4.4 Assessment of space available to store hardcopy material 4.4 Guidance on how to digitise hardcopy data Steering group to supervise See (5) above Staff Development/HR Faculty Managers/ Faculty Information Officers/ Information Compliance Unit Faculty Managers/ Faculty Information Officers/ Information Compliance Unit/ Estates and Facilities Information Compliance Unit Policy and Strategy Development Policy and Strategy Development Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Resource limitations How to address Comments pages. Policy development requires extensive consultation and no capacity is in place to undertake this. Needs project manager to liaise with researchers not consulted as part of roadmap work Many aspects of RM are discipline specific and further consultation is required. See (5) above See (5) above See (5) above Will be included in web portal but needs to be built into researcher starter packs and induction. Not clear whether capacity to do this is in place No identified resource to undertake survey and it is difficult to assess the size of the task. Need to liaise with Staff Development Needs to be assigned to dedicated PM Questionnaires for this type of topic do not work. Needs a skilled records manager to elicit the right information. See (8) above See (8) above See (8) above See (8) above See (8) above See (8) above 16

17 Tasks Existing capabilities Roadmap area 4.4 Training to research staff Staff Development/IT Training and on digitisation process Services/Information Advocacy Compliance Unit 4.3 Specify minimum metadata requirements and include in policy/guidance docs 4.3 Identify and develop metadata catalogue (ie Symplectic?) 4.2 and 4.3 Ensure metadata requirements are included in any future curation system development Cataloguing and Metadata Team (Library and Learning Support Services)/Archivists (Information Compliance Unit/Library and Learning Support Services) Head of Library e-strategy and Resources, IT Services Library e-strategy and Resources team, IT Services, Archivists (Library and Learning Support Services/Information Compliance Unit Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Resource limitations How to address Comments Resource implication not clear before assessment of current situation is undertaken. May not be a significant problem in some areas Will involve library team and archivists. Should be possible with existing resource Will involve Library Team and IT Services. May also require external consultation with Symplectic. May be possible with existing resources but depends on other priorities Needs IT Project Manager or business analyst to undertake. May be possible with existing resources but depends on other priorities May require some short term staff to scan/digitise hard copy data May need to be built into the existing responsibilities of nominated individual(s) Will involve requirements capture for developing Symplectic which may be time consuming. May also require external consultation Detailed and effective requirements capture for designing/procuring new systems requires consultations with a wide group of stakeholders so is time consuming and onerous 17

18 Tasks Existing capabilities Roadmap area 3.1 Guidance on data Ethics Committee(s), Service protection/confidentiality Information Compliance Unit Development/ of research data; implementation 4.2 Provision of institutional repository for homeless data if appropriate 3.1 Guidance on appraisal and selection of research data 4.2 Define roles and responsibilities surrounding data curation 4.2 Evaluate need for local repository vs IT Services Research Development/Information Compliance Unit/IT services None existing. Requires input from IT Services/Archivists/Faculty IT Managers IT Services/Information Compliance Unit Service Development/ implementation Training and Advocacy Policy and strategy development Service Development/ Resource limitations How to address Comments Need to identify nominated individual/dept to respond to queries and capacity is in place for low volumes. Needs an IT system to be developed or procured so will require a business analyst and/or IT project manager to be deployed. This resource is already in place but availability depends on priorities and size of project Can be included in planned training programme (see 1 above). Need to nominate individual/dept to respond to ad-hoc enquiries and their ability to do this depends on the volume of enquiries Important aspect of policy development but requires a clear understanding of the workload implication to each nominated dept. Needs an IT system to be developed or Will need to increase capacity as volume of enquiries increases Need to flag to ITS Likely to need to bolster available resource to respond to day to day enquires Requires detailed work by PM Need to flag to ITS Guidance will be included in portal Need to identify nominated department 18

19 Tasks Existing capabilities Roadmap area outsourcing, and procure implementation and implement if required 4.1 Provide guidance on including aspects of research data management in funding bids 4.2 Assess and provide scalable storage capacity for live research data Research Finance/IT Faculty Managers/ALLs/Faculty Information Officers IT Services/Faculty IT Managers Service Development/ implementation Service Development/ implementation Resource limitations How to address Comments procured so will require a business analyst and/or IT project manager to be deployed. This resource is already in place but availability depends on priorities and size of project Need to nominate individuals/dept to provide detailed guidance in response to certain triggers (eg inclusion of personal data in a research DMP) Likely to need to bolster existing resource to respond in a timely way to increasing volume of enquiries. Needs PM to act as coordinator See (23) above Need to flag to ITS to manage the long term curation research data The triggers need to be determined as part of the policy/guidance development. 19

20 Research Data Management Roadmap Resources Required Timeline 20