D3.2 Cost Concept Model and Gateway Specification

This document introduces a Framework supporting the implementation of a cost concept model against which current and future cost models for curating digital assets can be benchmarked. The value built into this cost concept model leverages the comprehensive engagement by the 4C project with various user communities and builds upon our understanding of the requirements, drivers, obstacles and objectives that various stakeholder groups have relating to digital curation. Ultimately, this concept model should provide a critical input to the development and refinement of cost models as well as helping to ensure that the curation and preservation solutions and services that will inevitably arise from the commercial sector as ‘supply’ respond to a much better understood ‘demand’ for cost-effective and relevant tools. To meet acknowledged gaps in current provision, a nested model of curation which addresses both costs and benefits is provided. The goal of this task was not to create a single, functionally implementable cost modelling application; but rather to design a model based on common concepts and to develop a generic gateway specification that can be used by future model developers, service and solution providers, and by researchers in follow-up research and development projects.<p></p> The Framework includes:<p></p> • A Cost Concept Model—which defines the core concepts that should be included in curation costs models;<p></p> • An Implementation Guide—for the cost concept model that provides guidance and proposes questions that should be considered when developing new cost models and refining existing cost models;<p></p> • A Gateway Specification Template—which provides standard metadata for each of the core cost concepts and is intended for use by future model developers, model users, and service and solution providers to promote interoperability;<p></p> • A Nested Model for Digital Curation—that visualises the core concepts, demonstrates how they interact and places them into context visually by linking them to A Cost and Benefit Model for Curation.<p></p> This Framework provides guidance for data collection and associated calculations in an operational context but will also provide a critical foundation for more strategic thinking around curation such as the Economic Sustainability Reference Model (ESRM).<p></p> Where appropriate, definitions of terms are provided, recommendations are made, and examples from existing models are used to illustrate the principles of the framework

Adaptive development and maintenance of user-centric software systems

A software system cannot be developed without considering the various facets of its environment. Stakeholders – including the users that play a central role – have their needs, expectations, and perceptions of a system. Organisational and technical aspects of the environment are constantly changing. The ability to adapt a software system and its requirements to its environment throughout its full lifecycle is of paramount importance in a constantly changing environment. The continuous involvement of users is as important as the constant evaluation of the system and the observation of evolving environments. We present a methodology for adaptive software systems development and maintenance. We draw upon a diverse range of accepted methods including participatory design, software architecture, and evolutionary design. Our focus is on user-centred software systems

Benefits realisation for healthcare

Following the emergent importance of benefits realisation applied to healthcare infrastructure and service development programs, HaCIRIC has undertaken a research initiative targeting the development of a robust and comprehensive Benefits Realisation (BeReal©) process. The resulting model is focusing on how benefits should be elicited at the initial strategic stages, and how benefits should be deployed, managed and traced along the lifecycle of a programme so their realisation contributes to successful health outcomes. Subsequently BeReal© aspires to be an appropriate method to drive and control the programme plan; providing tools and techniques for defining specific benefits. It also allows the measurement and evaluation of the extent to which those benefits are delivered. We have set ourselves the objective of identifying current best practices and demonstrate how to improve benefits realisation in healthcare infrastructure provision. The HaCIRIC team in active collaboration with leading industry partners have undertaken various case and comparator studies not only to define a business critical process but to set out an ideology which places benefits realisation at the heart of securing wholly integrated (collective) change. We believe that to deliver consistent high quality infrastructure and services within an ever changing investment model requires a different level of thinking and understanding towards benefits realisation. The challenge of answering community needs through intelligent investment in infrastructure is complex and demands a deeper and inclusive awareness and appreciation of how to deliver benefits and effectively allocate resources. The BeReal© initiative seeks to contribute methodologically and intends to help spending money intelligently, working with programme and project related stakeholders, securing that the best possible benefits are obtained for the overall healthcare communities. This report highlights selected performed initiatives and summarises BeReal© process’s major characteristics, covering far more than the follow-up of a competitive tendering process and of the development of a traditional business case. BeReal© copes with a detailed definition of changing activities, breakdown of (needs into) benefits that drive the investment, supports decision-making, proposes the development of controlling initiatives and suggests major awareness to the implementation of corrective actions. We seek to continue innovating, stimulate learning, contributing to an increase of health and care performance that properly answers to community needs and intelligently invests public and private resources

Exploring dynamic natural-resource-based capabilities for sustainable agri-food chains

The natural-resource-based-view (NRBV) is positively presented in literature as a competitive approach to sustainable operations. In spite of this the theory has struggled to transition into industry; something which academics attribute to a lack of practical guidance and ill-defined capabilities. The purpose this study is to identify NRBV capabilities. This is done via review of seminal NRBV studies and exploration of a synergistic relationship with SSCM, permitting the identification of potentially relevant capabilities. Dynamic capabilities theory is then applied to categorize the capabilities and further enhance applicability. A qualitative multiple-interview methodological approach is employed to empirically investigate the capabilities within the context of the Scottish agri-food sector

Sustaining a federation of future internet experimental facilities

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Structured approach to measure performance in construction research and development: performance measurement system development

Purpose of this paper: This study explore Performance Measurement applications within construction research and development (R\&D) to develop a structured approach to measure the performance of collaborative construction R\&D projects during its lifecycle from initiation, conceptualising, development and launch stages and at the project management. Design/methodology/approach: During the exploratory phase of the study, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were carried out to develop the performance measurement system (PMS). During the explanatory phase, the developed PMS was refined with a series of semi-structured interviews. The data was gathered from principal investigators, researchers and industrial partners involved in collaborative construction R\&D work. Findings: Main finding is the developed PMS to measure the performance of construction R\&D that consists of critical success factors, performance indicators and performance measures during the lifecycle of a R\&D project. Practical implications: The PMS developed through the study provides critical success factors, performance indicators and measures that need to be considered during the construction R\&D projects to measure the performance. Thus, through the implementation of the PMS, this study contributes to practice by assisting the performance improvement within construction R\&D projects. What is original / value of paper?: The developed PMS to measure the performance of construction R\&D project will provide value for those who are engaged in R\&D work (Principle investigators, researcher and industrial partners) to ensure the success of their projects

Stakeholder identification in the requirements engineering process

Adequate, timely and effective consultation of relevant stakeholders is of paramount importance in the requirements engineering process. However, the thorny issue of making sure that all relevant stakeholders are consulted has received less attention than other areas which depend on it, such as scenario-based requirements, involving users in development, negotiating between different viewpoints and so on. The literature suggests examples of stakeholders, and categories of stakeholder, but does not provide help in identifying stakeholders for a specific system. In this paper, we discuss current work in stakeholder identification, propose an approach to identifying relevant stakeholders for a specific system, and propose future directions for the work

Investing in Curation: A Shared Path to Sustainability

No abstract available