ARDC’s Impact Journey
Liv Shanahan1 1Australian Research Data Commons, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Abstract
As research infrastructure investment increases, Governments, funding agencies and research infrastructures are looking to understand the long-term social, economic and environmental impact of this investment.
Broadly speaking, impact is about the ultimate value an organisation, program or project can deliver. Tracking impact allows us to provide evidence of effective funding and can ensure resources are used in the most efficient way. Evaluating impact allows us to demonstrate benefits and ‘make the case’ for our work. It also helps us understand the reasons for success or failure of outcomes and helps to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement.
In this session, the ARDC PMO will provide an overview of its approach to impact MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) with its newly established Thematic Research Data Commons. This will include building a long term strategy, tailoring approaches for different programs, exploring challenges and opportunities and next steps on our impact journey. It will also provide an opportunity for others in the sector to identify different approaches and methods of monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on impact within the sector.
This session hopes to bring together research infrastructures and those responsible for monitoring and evaluating impact to discuss approaches to MEL within the research infrastructure environment.
The outcome of the session will be to establish an informal impact network within the research infrastructure community.
Biography
Liv works in the PMO at ARDC. She is responsible for helping ARDC teams to think about and document their impact.