connect communicate collaborate View on eResearch 2020 study Draft report on “The Role of e-Infrastructures in the Creation of Global Virtual Research Communities” Matthew Scott – DANTE 24 February 2010

connect communicate collaborate Overall assessment Interesting and valuable investigation bringing key issues and challenges to the fore As a representative of the ‘supply’ side of e-infrastructure, some issues and recommendations have particular resonance Accessibility Reliability Affordability Engagement with Users Recommendations for Roadmap to ‘Research Revolution’ Wide ranging assessment of challenges to be met

connect communicate collaborate Accessibility Digital divide issues have to be resolved not just about equal opportunity but also the need to maximise research potential across Europe Ease of use (Openness) Complexity can be a barrier – interoperability is vital Consistent user interface, Common access policies and Standardisation

connect communicate collaborate Reliability Technical to be fit for purpose any infrastructure must have – High availability and Low contention - able to cope with both everyday and exceptional demands and – Be ‘always there’ Financial To be reliable financially there must be – a predictable and stable cost model matched with – reliable and sustainable long term financing rather than short term ‘project’ based financing – Investment plus opex issues – Even if financing solved at EU level, unless 100% EU financed, issue remains for short term CO-financing

connect communicate collaborate Reliability Stable Structural/governance structures are also vital ERICs are a positive and proactive measure by EC that appear a reasonable way forward need one or two ‘pathfinders’ to encourage others

connect communicate collaborate Affordability Common shared solutions will leverage Economies of scale Common fully centrally funded resource or (partially) funded by users at point of use? Different solutions may be applicable Extra costs of using e-infrastructures often not foreseen in early budgeting plans of users Do the users assume it will be there and ‘free’ to use? Are such costs not considered or understood enough?

connect communicate collaborate Engagement Many research disciplines are not fully aware of potential of e- infrastructures to enhance their research ‘early adopters’ are seeing great advances in productivity ‘late adopters’ havent realised the potential benefits Observation of User Engagement teams seem a very good way to communicate with ‘User communities’ but The proposition has to be coherent ie – Accessible, easy to use, reliable and affordable Education and training will encourage novel research possibilities

connect communicate collaborate Some clarifications needed Measurability and Metrics Data collection tools are there (‘webometrics’) Easy to support principles but statistics can be misleading! Can there be standard ones centrally defined or should they be determined by individual projects? More work needed in this area to ensure metrics are really valuable Public private partnerships mentioned Still at early stage conceptually Some modelling needed to show benefit What are lessons learned at National levels? Removal of Barriers to participation by Industrial Research partners: Yes but how and who ( decides who) participates? Make results available in public domain

connect communicate collaborate Summary “Just get the users and we will figure out how to demonstrate the value of e-infrastructures” (page 221 of report) Users will demonstrate the value Sustainability of funding with coordinated and longer term investments in e-infrastructures is necessary…. Is this a high risk strategy or actually a pre-requisite to achieve the ‘Research revolution’?