1. A Framework for Collaborative GI Science -or- The distillation of a research idea European GeoInformatics Workshop 7 - 9 March 2007 Robin S. Smith ICOSS, University of Sheffield

2. Outline Researching Society and Technology e-(Social) Science Collaboration Components of digital participation Collaboration in GRADE Summary

3. Researching Society and Technology social construction of technology (Bijker et al., 1987) social shaping of technology (Woolgar, 2003) giving people/society a role giving people/society a role technologies are the product of complicated interactions {users, non-users, policies, practices and the technology} technologies are the product of complicated interactions {users, non-users, policies, practices and the technology} A strategic/holistic view of a technology A strategic/holistic view of a technology

4. e-(Social) Science Woolgars (2003) consultative study Social Shaping: … all social scientific aspects of genesis, use, implementation and effects of the new e technologies… … all social scientific aspects of genesis, use, implementation and effects of the new e technologies… [with a] tendency to distinguish between research which uses the grid and research which is about the grid [alongside]… [with a] tendency to distinguish between research which uses the grid and research which is about the grid [alongside]… how grid technologies will affect practice, and how the practices of social scientists will affect the development and use of these technologies how grid technologies will affect practice, and how the practices of social scientists will affect the development and use of these technologies

5. Four research themes 1.Different activities around the globe and the impacts this may have on the development combined research infrastructures – (G)SDI(s)? – (G)SDI(s)? 2.Impact on other areas of scholarship, from … more routine aspects of academic life, teaching, administration, journal operation, refereeing and so on - in silico research - in silico research 3.the impact that such infrastructure will also have on the existing … operation of virtual communities… [such as] sharing, privacy, trust, collaboration, IPR - SDIs? - SDIs? 4.… historical comparisons with the development of other communication technologies and ICTs… ideas about web democracy… the need to explore innovative models of cooperation and collaboration – the motivation of this paper – the motivation of this paper

6. e-(Social) Science Scott & Venterss (2006) research practices cyberinfrastructure [involves the] intersection of Grid and collaborative research (p. 2; after David, 2004) BUT social science can be … a fundamentally individual endeavour and social scientists have limited knowledge of the Grid social science can be … a fundamentally individual endeavour and social scientists have limited knowledge of the Grid = adapting tools made by other communities. = adapting tools made by other communities. raster calculation vs. discipline-specific tools?? Unnecessary duplication of effort and /or infrastructure Reduction in the possibilities of inter-disciplinary research facilitated by a common toolkit/language?

7. A lack of social theory in recent technical developments for e-social science requires an … articulation between theory and practice requires an … articulation between theory and practice Contributing our experience to other Grid communities e.g. for combining information from diverse and distributed data sources – GIS as a collaborative tool (?)

8. An established approach to understanding the social surroundings of e- social science through social shaping

9. Glenmorangie (10y) An established approach to understanding the social surroundings of e- social science through social shaping A smooth and medium- bodied whisky, with a delicate, slightly sweet aroma (Shaw, 1999) Scotlands best-selling malt

10. Collaboration Gray & Wood (1991)- business/economic context Nyerges & Jankowski (2001) Enhanced Adaptive Structuration Theory 2 – GIS for group-based interaction Balram & Dragićević (2006) – consensual group spatial decision processes within a participant- technology-data nexus (Recently highlighted as a challenge by Mark Birkin (2005) in a discussion of e-social science and GIS)* * See http://www.wun.ac.uk/ggisa/seminars.html >> seminar archivehttp://www.wun.ac.uk/ggisa/seminars.html

11. Components of digital participation (Smith, 2006) Notions of participation /collaboration Issues /Research Problems AudienceMethodsOutcomes ? Arnsteins (1969) Ladder of citizen participation

12. A less well-known approach being adopted from a related discipline

13. The Balvenie (10y) A less well-known approach being adopted from a related discipline Founders Reserve has a rich colour, bouquet and flavour with a smooth, clean, dry finish (Shaw, 1999) The distillery is not open to the public

14. GRADE Scoping a Geospatial Repository for Academic Deposit and Extraction Small group of researchers experiencing geospatial data-sharing using the demonstrator repository and using the demonstrator repository and two web-based peer-to-peer technologies to share GI two web-based peer-to-peer technologies to share GI Action research for a potential e-social science resource- beyond storage to use

15. Collaboration Highlighted in informal peer-to-peer methods by participants GRADE as a collaborative resource Access issues Issues of trust Issues of trust Citation/acknowledgement/data control for the re-use of data Citation/acknowledgement/data control for the re-use of data Data policy, licensing and digital rights Data policy, licensing and digital rights

16. Issues/research problems Only an experiment- not a true setting- what research contexts/problems require participants to share GI? Do these vary between different research communities? Do these vary between different research communities? Geographical distribution of participants, data and problems- the various networks for collaboration

17. Audience Close association of researchers to their data (data mining and negotiating access) Who is involved- relates to issues of trust and control- again, does it vary by discipline? communicating as a group online and meeting in-person for the workshop= impacts on the outcomes of the study

18. Methods Different methods ease of installation/use ease of installation/use privacy and security privacy and security Work practices (home and office computer problems) Work practices (home and office computer problems) online communication to mediate sharing (desired as an extension to a GRADE-type repository) (desired as an extension to a GRADE-type repository) Technology uncovering attitudes to sharing e.g. different approaches to using social network software e.g. different approaches to using social network software Description through theory-driven/-identifier roles (?) Description through theory-driven/-identifier roles (?)

19. Outcomes The technology Trusted resource through Edina Trusted resource through Edina Need for social tools Need for social toolsExperiences How to install peer-to-peer software How to install peer-to-peer software Considering the role of p2p in real research/teaching (e.g. project/group work) Considering the role of p2p in real research/teaching (e.g. project/group work) Research practice Generating a report Generating a report Participants considering furthering the research Participants considering furthering the research Giving this paper! Giving this paper!

20. An idea requiring further empirical testing

21. Highland Park (12y) An idea requiring further empirical testing Highland Park is a medium-bodied single malt of character, with a heathery-smoky aroma and peaty flavour with balancing sweet tones (Shaw, 1999) One of Scotlands most northerly distilleries

22. Summary Understanding the roles of the many stakeholders in e-(social) science is aided by a social shaping of technology approach GISc is well placed to explore this concept given its inherent need for data-sharing and collaboration collaboration can have many meanings for this community To some extent, related research in other virtual communities, such as digital participation, can help us to explore our domains of both e-social and GI Science.- (+ data, + metadata?)

23. Slainte mhath! robin.smith@shef.ac.uk

24. ICOSS Purpose built research centre for policy relevant, interdisciplinary research using large (quantitative and qualitative) datasets Promotes GIS as a collaborative tool between researchers and their datasets A place where public sector groups interested in GIS can interact with academics for research and infrastructure development A place to study collaboration in practice (?)