Presentation given at DCC N.Ireland Roadshow, Belfast (6-7 June 2012), Queen's university

1. What the DCC can do for you?
Marieke Guy
Digital Curation Centre
m.guy@ukoln.ac.uk
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DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

2. Data Management Strategy
Five components:
•Policy
•Advocacy
•Planning
•Tools
•Training
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

3. Data Management Planning
• Data management planning is a growing
requirement from funders, publishers
and HEIs, in the UK and internationally
• Supportive of good research practice,
according to RCUK
• A cross-cutting activity involving
multiple stakeholder types (researchers,
librarians, IT managers, support staff)
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

4. Support offered by the DCC
Institutional
Assess data catalogues
needs Workflow
assessment Pilot RDM
tools
Develop
DAF & CARDIO DCC
assessments Guidance support
support
team and training and
services
RDM policy
Advocacy to senior development
management
Customised Data
Make the case Management Plans
…and support policy implementation
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

5. Screen Shot 2012-05-03 at
11.14.00.png
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

6. DCC Web site
• Definitions of digital curation, glossary, reasons why to
curate, FAQs etc.
• History of DCC, staff etc.
• News, blog
• Events
• Resources
• Training
• Project work
• Institutional Engagements
• Tools catalogue
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

7. DCC Events
• Roadshows
• International Digital Curation Conference (IDCC)
• Research Data Management Forum (RDMF)
• Workshops and training
• Presentations at external events
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

8. DCC Resources
• Briefing Papers, How-to Guides
• Curation Reference Manual, Curation Lifecycle Model
• Policy and legal
• Data Management Plans
• Case studies
• Repository audit and assessment
• Standards
• Publications and presentations
• Curation journals, Informatics research
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

9. DCC Tools
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

10. Four DCC
Tools
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

11. DCC Tools: DAF
• What are the characteristics of research data assets?
– Number?
– Scale?
– Complexity?
– Dependencies?
– Liabilities? www.data-audit.eu
• Why do researchers act the way they do with
respect to data?
• What do they need to do research?
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

12. DCC Tools: CARDIO
Collaborative Assessment of Research Data Infrastructures & Objectives
An online tool for departments or research groups to
identify and communicate their current data management
capabilities and identify options for enhancement using a
dedicated knowledge base.
CARDIO emphasises a collaborative, consensus-driven
approach, and enables benchmarking with other groups and
institutions.
http://cardio.dcc.ac.uk/
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

13. DCC Tools: CARDIO
• How well does an institution (or department, School,
etc.) manage its data?
• Depends on:
– Finances
– Technology
– Policy management
– Organisational will
• Demands acknowledgement of multiple
perspectives
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

14. DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

15. DCC Tools: DMP Online
• The DCC's web-based data management planning tool
• Plans can be built and edited to reflect the
requirements of the major UK funders
• Contains guidance and links to resources for
researchers and data professionals.
www.dcc.ac.uk/dmponline
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

16. DCC Tools: DRAMBORA
• DRAMBORA is an audit methodology and tool for
identifying and planning for the management of risks
• These risks may threaten the availability and/or
usability of content in a digital repository or archive.
www.repositoryaudit.eu
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

17. DCC Tools: DRAMBORA
• A variety of risk factors, both internal and external,
affect the management of digital research data
• Risks can be tangible (fire/flood) or intangible
(accidental data loss leading to reputational impact)
• They may exist in isolation, or lead to other risks if
not adequately managed
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

18. Policy (i)
The DCC has a number of guidance resources related to
research data policy. We can guide institutions on their
requirements to manage/share data, and offer practical
steps to help them develop data policies by:
-Providing templates and examples to demonstrate what
aspects could be incorporated into a data policy;
-Coordinating / contributing to meetings of relevant
stakeholders to ensure all activities and perspectives are
addressed;
-Reviewing and feeding back on draft policies;
-Assisting with communications to launch and implement
the policy.
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

19. Policy (ii)
Benefits of developing a data policy:
-Compliance with funder guidelines, e.g. the EPSRC
expectation that HEIs have a RDM roadmap in place by May
2012, and be fully compliant by May 2015;
-Assuring the good conduct of research in line with
Research Integrity guidelines (see RCUK & UKRIO docs);
-Clarity for researchers and demonstrable institutional
commitment for RDM;
-The prestige of joining a small but growing group of
leading institutions with a data policy:
www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/institutional-
data-policies
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

20. Strategy (i)
We offer a half-day workshop in which key stakeholders
from an institution (e.g. librarians, senior IT staff,
research administration, repository staff, researchers,
etc) convene to discuss and develop an institutional
strategy for RDM.
Benefits:
-Coherence across service providers and agreed direction
for RDM services;
-Ability to reference strategy /commitment to RDM (the
University of Oxford policy may be a useful example of
this - www.admin.ox.ac.uk/rdm);
-A move towards more efficient management of data.
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

21. Strategy (ii)
Through practical breakout sessions, senior DCC staff can
lead and mediate discussion to help the institution
determine its priorities and define practical next steps.
These might include the development of infrastructure
(e.g. data repositories), new services (e.g. DMP support),
policy development, improved guidance or data
management training provision.
Suggested actions will depend on gaps/areas for
improvement as perceived by the institution.
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

22. Training (i)
We offer a variety of training courses:
-DC101 introduction to data management
-Tools of the Trade courses which give practical overviews
and hands-on exercises using DCC tools
-Train-the-Trainer, which equips information professionals
to teach RDM courses.
Generic training materials are available online, and
hardcopy packs can be produced.
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

23. Training (ii)
The DCC can:
-Run courses, tailoring content to institutional needs;
-Assist in the development of online learning materials
(screencasts, audio-synced slides);
-Develop resources such as guidance documents, case
studies and manuals.
Key benefits of training provision are:
-Improved data management capacity;
-The opportunity to profile and raise awareness of
institutional support services.
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

24. Other services...
CARDIO Used at research group or department level to assess activity and
data management infrastructure and contribute to an institution-wide
view
Data Asset Framework DAF is a structured mechanism used to identify what data exists and
understand how research data are being managed and shared
Customised DMP We can work with you to develop an institution-specific instance of
DMP Online for developing data management plans that fit funder
requirements before and after an award of grant
Policy development We can assist in the development of institutional policy
Workflow assessment Using tested methodologies we can analyse current research data
workflows
Training We can train people in the use of many of the above tools and in
generic skills such as data quality assessment
Costing We can assist with the development of costing and pricing for data
management services
Risk management Working with you to identify risks in current or planned research data
management practice, we will make recommendations on mitigation
and the elimination of those risks
Institutional data We can recommend options for exposing metadata about your
research data via CRIS systems, repositories, or a mix of these
catalogues
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

25. DCC Institutional
Engagements
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast

26. Recap: support offered by the DCC
Institutional
Assess data catalogues
needs Workflow
assessment Pilot RDM
tools
Develop
DAF & CARDIO DCC
assessments Guidance support
support
team and training and
services
RDM policy
Advocacy with senior development
management
Customised Data
Make the case Management Plans
…and
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast support policy implementation

27. Further Assistance
• Help desk: 0131 651 1239
• Email: info@dcc.ac.uk
• Web site: www.dcc.ac.uk
DCC Belfast, Queen’s University, 7 June 2012 #dcc_belfast