jackie knowles, project manager welsh repository network
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How we sourced the contentTRANSCRIPT
Jackie Knowles, Project Manager Welsh Repository Network
How we sourced the content
‘They just don’t get it’
◦ Who are ‘they’
◦ What is ‘it’
Training researchers◦ Importance of versioning◦ Data management lifecycle
Training managers◦ Typical research lifecycle
Pursue simplicity
◦ Do away with collections/communities/hierarchy?
But don’t try to kill too many birds with one stone
The importance of mapping workflows
Avoid re-inventing the wheel
Where do the respective elements fit in the bigger picture
The importance of specifying functionality
User scanarios
Functionality reduced to scoring and tick boxes loses meaning and understanding
The power of statistics
The need for advocacy◦ Launch early◦ Spread the word◦ Address non-engagement
Acknowledge that a lot of boring hard work needs to go into any system before it will work
Costs are higher than you think◦ £16 per item
Budget for bibliographic data access costs on top of existing subscriptions
Tendering for software◦ Big failure - not including people from
repository world in the process◦ Subsequent tailoring of system to meet needs
of a repository – lots of work 2 years work
◦ Failure to prioritise the repository as mission critical
Avoid making assumptions about peoples knowledge and/or standpoint
◦ More than one response indicated they had made false assumptions
◦ Is the path being pursued a good thing?◦ Institutional context
A mandate is powerless without a way to enforce it
The obstinate preservationist◦ I already manage my own data very well thank you
and I see no need to work differently
Research management is just about the budgets ‘I already manage the REF requirements for the university’
Quote from someone in finance who had the figures on costs sorted out … they failed to recognise the publication side of REF
The endless debator
◦ Likes to attend events◦ Active on lots of email lists◦ Engages in dialogue/discussion about the
philosophy of the approach◦ … at the expense of actually doing something
The anti-eco warriors
◦ Tied to paper processes All research outputs must be entered onto a
printed hard copy form and passed to administrators who then input into systems
◦ Lots of re-typing and interpreting handwriting
The non-communicators
◦ Can be internal to your won department◦ One case where a team were working on developing
something to fulfil a specific function without apparent awareness or thought for a similar process already being managed within their own wider department.
The DIY disasters
◦ Building in house systems to meet very specific needs◦ Huge overlap with other systems, re-inventing the wheel◦ Lack of standards in bibliographic data entry◦ Messy system due to individual requirements always
being agreed to◦ Dependent on one member of staff for maintenance and
understanding
The just plain bonkers
◦ Performance plan required implement a piece of software regardless of its functionality
