Understanding and capturing the uptake of Digital Research Infrastructure
Stefanie Kethers1, Sheida Hadavi1, Kylie Black1, Mihail Staicu1, Lesley Wyborn2 1ARDC Australia2ANU ACT, Australia
Abstract
As outlined in the 2021 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap (https://www.education.gov.au/download/13735/2021-national-research-infrastructure-roadmap/26919/2021-national-research-infrastructure-roadmap/pdf, Recommendation 7), Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) is fundamental to Australia’s research effort.
Understanding uptake – by whom, how and for what purposes such infrastructure is used and why it may not be used – is key for understanding user needs and opportunities. This understanding can be used to increase uptake and to justify existing and to acquire further (sustainability) funding, and to understand how the DRI enabled researchers to address societal challenges. It is also critical to be able to measure impact and ensure that funders are getting ROI on their investments.
However, understanding uptake is a difficult problem. While indicators such as user counts, access requests (quantitative) and user surveys (qualitative) exist, they do not provide a full picture, including why potential users do not use the DRI.
In this BoF, we will bring together members of the eResearch community to explore existing approaches, challenges and lessons learned around understanding the uptake of digital infrastructure and effective ways of measuring it. The goal of the session is to share experiences to advance our understanding of DRI uptake
Agenda:
•Welcome and problem statement (10 mins)
•Four planned Lightning talks (7 mins + 3 mins for questions each) about understanding uptake of different types of digital infrastructure:
oNCRIS facility (tbc)
oUniversity (tbc)
oIndustry (tbc)
oIssues emerging from the Solid Earth and “invisible repository” communities (Lesley Wyborn)
•Discussion (30 mins)
•Next steps (10 mins)
Biography
Sheida Hadavi – Sheida is the ARDC Director of Translational Research Data Challenges. Her background is in data analytics and computer science and she is passionate in building collaborative and innovative digital infrastructure that address societal challenges.
Stefanie Kethers – Stefanie is the ARDC Program Manager (Data Challenges). She has worked in eResearch for over 13 years and has a long-standing interest in facilitating cooperation between individuals and groups.
Kylie Black – Kylie is a Research Data Specialist (Data Challenges), on secondment from the University of Western Australia Library where she is a Senior Librarian in Research and Academic Engagement. She is pursuing an interest in research data management and support, particularly in academia.
Mihail Staicu – Senior Business Analyst with 20 years of experience in shaping complex business challenges into information systems, Mihail has been contributing to the delivery of the ARDC’s Bushfire Data Challenges Program for nearly two years.
Lesley Wyborn is an honorary professor at the Australian National University and works with several groups at ANU in research and data including ARDC, NCI, AuScope and the Research School of Earth Sciences.