Vincent S. Smith with Dave Roberts, Mauro Gonzalez, & Simon Rycroft Scratchpads - a space for your data on the web
The problem Technical ability of these communities is limited - Solutions must be easy to use Many data providers - Each with their own user community Information heterogeneous - Often specific to each community Resource are limited - Solutions must scale to different communities How to manage, share & integrate digital information…
The goal What do you want to achieve with your digital information… Managing: somewhere to… - Store your data - Structure to your data (helps integration) - Customized to your data and needs Sharing: demonstrates your value because… - Makes you visible - Allows others to use your data - Facilitates collaboration Integrating: mixing data adds value because… - Provides broader context for your specialized work - Facilitates queries - Many levels of integration with different costs & benefits …different users have different priorities
The solution No one solution but… use the web! Generalized Content Management Systems (CMS) - Easy to set up and use (no expert help) - Quick to populate with your data (you can do this) - Low level data integration - most content unstructured Natural Language Processing (NLP) - You dont use this - we do - Makes digital content machine readable to facilitate integration - Rather experimental for biosystematic data Taxonomic Content Management Systems (TCMS) - (Very) hard to set up and use (need expert help) - (Very) difficult to populate (need expert help) - Facilitates high levels of data integration
The solution No one solution but… use the web! Generalized Content Management Systems (CMS) - Easy to set up and use (no expert help) - Quick to populate with your data (you can do this) - Low level data integration - most content unstructured Natural Language Processing (NLP) - You dont use this - we do - Makes digital content machine readable to facilitate integration - Rather experimental for biosystematic data Taxonomic Content Management Systems (TCMS) - (Very) hard to set up and use (need expert help) - (Very) difficult to populate (need expert help) - Facilitates high levels of data integration
What is a Content Management System? Like the system for the APR or FJP - but more fun!
What is a Content Management System? More like mySpace, or Wikipedia or flickr - but for taxonomists Drupal CMS
What is a Content Management System? More like mySpace, or Wikipedia or flickr - but for taxonomists Drupal CMS Complex Database mounted on the web
What is a Content Management System? More like mySpace, or Wikipedia or flickr - but for taxonomists Drupal CMS Complex Database mounted on the web Customize look and functionality
What is a Content Management System? More like mySpace, or Wikipedia or flickr - but for taxonomists Added taxonomic tools (modules) Creating templates (Scratchpads) for you & your community to mount your digital information on the web
Scratchpad screenshots Lice Flies Fungus Gnats African Dung Beetles
Creating your Scratchpad How to apply for, customize and use a Scratchpad 1. Sign the terms & conditions form 4. Book an initial appointment with Simon 3. Wait for your messages 2. Fill out an electronic registration …it is that simple! 5. You and your collaborators add content
Useful Links Scratchpads - Info: - Signup: - Help: EDIT - Workpackage 6: - Workpackage 5: - EDIT: Me: Where to find more information…