Developing a Research Data

Management Policy

The Glasgow School of Art in conjunction with KAPTUR

Dr Robin Burgess

5th December 2012

Presentation Context

• Introduce the KAPTUR project

• Highlight policy development at GSA

• Comment on the issues and lessons learnt

so far

• Give details of the next steps in

development

KAPTUR

• Objective is to discover, create and pilot a

sectoral model of best practice in the

management of research data in the visual

arts.

Process • Requirements set by funding bodies

• Discussions amongst project team on the

issues of data management

• Approach developed to involve

researchers and other infrastructure

• Interviews

• Environmental assessment

Interview Process

• 4 researchers from each institute chosen,

from a broad range of disciplines

• Areas discussed - Terminology

- Role of the visual arts researcher

- Creation of visual arts research data

- Use/re-use of visual arts data

- Visual arts data in the longer term

Interview Findings • The term ‘research data’ was not helpful

• Researchers undertake multiple roles

• Creation of data altered

• Awareness of use and re-use present

• Importance of archiving raised

• Brought about the environmental

assessment report

Quote from a researcher: “… I am not sure what constitutes research

data… What is data? I mean, I talk to you about

my data as a researcher, but for the institution,

what does it consider data? Would it be

conference proceedings, would a performance

be data even if it was not recorded, sometimes I

don’t record my performances…”

Environmental Assessment • Little consensus in the visual arts on what

research data is

• Described as tangible, intangible, digital,

and physical

• Visual arts data is heterogeneous and

infinite, complex and complicated

• http://www.vads.ac.uk/kaptur/

Policy Development • Involvement of Kaptur

• Support from project partners

• Liaison with outside sources – e.g. the DCC

• Attendance at events – Conference in Leeds

• Involvement of interested parties at GSA – IT,

Information Services and the Library,

Research Office, Researchers

• Working Groups

Approach

• Context

• Definition of research data

• Policy statements

• Implementation methods

• Iterative process

• Discussions held

• Obtaining feedback

• Sign off and agreement

Comments

Issues:

• Building the support

network at GSA

• Extensive focus on the

REF process

• Changes in management

• Changes in staffing

• Expressing the

importance of policies

• EPSRC letter

Lessons Learnt:

• To be open and discuss

the work fully

• Identify the correct people

to engage with

• Formulate an action plan

for development

• Communicate

• Obtain by-in early on

Next Steps

Moving Forwards:

• Complete 2nd draft policy

document by 21st

December 2012

• Share with Head of

Information services

• Make relevant changes

and share with research

office

• February 2013, present to

research and knowledge

exchange committee

Additional Work:

• Present at an All Staff

meeting about Kaptur

• Educate the research

office on the importance

of the policy for bid

writing/funding

• Educate research staff

through workshops and

training

• Promotional work

• Conferences

What is Arts Research

Data?

What is arts research data?

What does it mean to you?

Research art design architecture

I’m going to tell you

What is arts research data?

We tried to find out

We asked various researchers

And this is what we found…

A-Z of research data…

•K is for KEEP

•A is for ARCHIVE

•P is for PROCESS

•T is for TEACHING

•U is for UNFINISHED

•R is for REPOSITORY

Acknowledgements • The project officers from partner institutes

• VADS

• JISC for sponsoring the project

• DCC

THANKYOU!

http://www.vads.ac.uk/kaptur/