The DCC Curation Lifecycle Model

The DCC Curation Lifecycle Model provides a graphical high level overview of the stages required for successful curation and preservation of data from initial conceptualisation or receipt. The model can be used to plan activities within an organisation or consortium to ensure that all necessary stages are undertaken, each in the correct sequence. The model enables granular functionality to be mapped against it; to define roles and responsibilities, and build a framework of standards and technologies to implement. It can help with the process of identifying additional steps which may be required, or actions which are not required by certain situations or disciplines, and ensuring that processes and policies are adequately documented

Media Digitization and Preservation Initiative: A Case Study

Since its creation nearly a decade ago, the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Curation Lifecycle Model has become the quintessential framework for understanding digital curation. Organizations and consortia around the world have used the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model as a tool to ensure that all the necessary stages of digital curation are undertaken, to define roles and responsibilities, and to build a framework of standards and technologies for digital curation. Yet, research on the application of the model to large-scale digitization projects as a way of understanding their efforts at digital curation is scant. This paper reports on findings of a qualitative case study analysis of Indiana University Bloomington’s multi-million-dollar Media Digitization and Preservation Initiative (MDPI), employing the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model as a lens for examining the scope and effectiveness of its digital curation efforts. Findings underscore the success of MDPI in performing digital curation by illustrating the ways it implements each of the model’s components. Implications for the application of the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model in understanding digital curation for mass digitization projects are discussed as well as directions for future research

Updating the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model

The DCC Curation Lifecycle Model has played a vital role in the field of data curation for over a decade. During that time, the scale and complexity of data have changed dramatically, along with the contexts of data production and use. This paper reports on a study examining factors impacting data curation practices and presents recommendations for updating the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model. The study was grounded in a review of other lifecycle models and informed by a site visit to the Digital Curation Centre and consultation with expert practitioners and researchers. Framed by contemporary conditions impacting the conduct of research and provision of data services, the analysis and proposed recommendations account for the prominence of machine-actionable data, the importance of machine learning for data processing and analytics, growth of integrated research workflows, and escalating concerns with fairness, accountability, and transparency of data and algorithms

Draft DCC Curation Lifecycle Model

Lifecycle management of digital materials can help conceptualisation of the stages required to successfully curate digital material. A number of discipline specific models, and more generally applicable standards, have been developed which can be used as a basis when planning and implementing organisational management of digital material. The generic Draft DCC Curation Lifecycle Model identifies curation actions applicable either across the whole digital lifecycle or sequentially throughout it. Domain specific models, with greater granularity, will be developed to ensure readily accessible advice

DMP online: the Digital Curation Centre’s web-based tool for creating, maintaining and exporting data management plans

Funding bodies increasingly require researchers to produce Data Management Plans (DMPs). The Digital Curation Centre (DCC) has created DMP Online, a web-based tool which draws upon an analysis of funders’ requirements to enable researchers to create and export customisable DMPs, both at the grant application stage and during the project’s lifetime

Fostering open science practice through recognising and rewarding research data management and curation skills

In a bid to improve research integrity, drive innovation, increase knowledge and to maximize public investment, researchers are increasingly under pressure to work in a more open and transparent way. This movement has been referred to as open science. Open science offers a range of potential and measurable benefits – for researchers and the institutions that employ them as well as for society more generally. However, to realise these benefits, we must work towards changing current research practices and behaviours. Researchers will need to acquire new research data management and curation skills that enable them to undertake a broader range of tasks along the entire research lifecycle – from undertaking new means of collaboration, to implementing data management and sharing strategies, to understanding how to amplify and monitor research outputs and to assess their value and impact. In parallel, information professionals who work to support researchers and the open science process will also need to expand their research data management and curation skillsets. It will be equally important that current recognition and reward systems are amended to reflect the application of such skillsets within a range of disciplines. This paper will explore the potential role that librarians can play in supporting and progressing open science and discuss some of the new skills that librarians may require if they are to fulfil this role effectively. Citing examples from the current UK research landscape, this paper will map these skills to the Wellcome Trust and Digital Science’s CRediT Taxonomy which was developed in 2013 to enable the broad range of contributions involved in producing research outputs to be more consistently described and rewarded

Supporting emerging researchers in data management and curation

While scholarly publishing remains the key means for determining researchers’ impact, international funding body requirements and government recommendations relating to research data management (RDM), sharing and preservation mean that the underlying research data are becoming increasingly valuable in their own right. This is true not only for researchers in the sciences but also in the humanities and creative arts as well. The ability to exploit their own - and others’ - data is emerging as a crucial skill for researchers across all disciplines. However, despite Generation Y researchers being ‘highly competent and ubiquitous users of information technologies generally’ they appears to be a widespread lack of understanding and uncertainty about open access and self-archived resources (Jisc study, 2012). This chapter will consider the potential support that academic librarians might provide to support Generation Y researchers in this shifting research data landscape and examine the role of the library as part of institutional infrastructure. The changing landscape will impact research libraries most keenly over the next few years as they work to develop infrastructure and support systems to identify and maintain access to a diverse array of research data outputs. However, the data that are being produced through research are no different to those being produced by artists, politicians and the general public. In this respect, all libraries - whether they be academic, national, or local - will need to be gearing up to ensure they are able to accept and provide access to an ever increasing range of complex digital objects

Institutional Challenges in the Data Decade

Throughout the year, the DCC stages regional data management roadshows to present best practice and showcase new tools and resources. This article reports on the second roadshow, organised in conjunction with the White Rose University Consortium and held on 1-3 March 2011 at the University of Sheffield. The goal for Day 1 was to describe the emerging trends and challenges associated with research data management and their potential impact on higher education institutions, and to introduce the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) and its role in supporting research data management. This was achieved through a substantial morning presentation followed by an afternoon of illustrative case studies at both disciplinary and institutional levels, highlighting different models, approaches and working practice. Day 2 was aimed at those in senior management roles and looked at strategic and policy implementation objectives. The Day 3 workshop explored data management requirements from the perspective of the institution and the main UK funding bodies, the different roles and responsibilities involved in effective data management and provided an introduction to data management planning. The portfolio of DCC resources, tools and services was explored in greater detail. The roadshow provided delegates with advice and guidance to support institutional Research Data Management and has helped to facilitate regional networking and the exchange of skills and experience

Institutional Challenges in the Data Decade

Throughout the year, the DCC stages regional data management roadshows to present best practice and showcase new tools and resources. This article reports on the second roadshow, organised in conjunction with the White Rose University Consortium and held on 1-3 March 2011 at the University of Sheffield. The goal for Day 1 was to describe the emerging trends and challenges associated with research data management and their potential impact on higher education institutions, and to introduce the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) and its role in supporting research data management. This was achieved through a substantial morning presentation followed by an afternoon of illustrative case studies at both disciplinary and institutional levels, highlighting different models, approaches and working practice. Day 2 was aimed at those in senior management roles and looked at strategic and policy implementation objectives. The Day 3 workshop explored data management requirements from the perspective of the institution and the main UK funding bodies, the different roles and responsibilities involved in effective data management and provided an introduction to data management planning. The portfolio of DCC resources, tools and services was explored in greater detail. The roadshow provided delegates with advice and guidance to support institutional Research Data Management and has helped to facilitate regional networking and the exchange of skills and experience

Education alignment

This essay reviews recent developments in embedding data management and curation skills into information technology, library and information science, and research-based postgraduate courses in various national contexts. The essay also investigates means of joining up formal education with professional development training opportunities more coherently. The potential for using professional internships as a means of improving communication and understanding between disciplines is also explored. A key aim of this essay is to identify what level of complementarity is needed across various disciplines to most effectively and efficiently support the entire data curation lifecycle