Monthly Archives ⇒ October 2010

INF11 – Repositories take up and embedding strand

· ostephens

The blog post is written on behalf of JISC.

The programme manager for this strand is Balviar Notay and detailed description at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-g-repositories-take-up-and-embedding/. A briefing paper is available at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/repositories-take-up-and-embedding/

This strand is about embedding proven good practice to develop and existing repository – not about new development. But not just about ‘JISC good practice’ – good practice from other places/communities are welcome – but need to be clear about what good practice you are going to implement – and perhaps ideally be in contact with those who originated the relevant good practice.

Need to see service improvement – not just about ‘better technology’. Also need to show how a wide range of instituitons will benefit from this work – and need to see this – including working with the RSP. This also has to be sustainable – about sustainable innovation – needs to go beyond the lifetime of the funding available from JISC.

Q: Would there be an expectation that the originators of good practice you are going to use would become a partner in the bid?

A: No – especially given the size of the bid – so a consultancy role may be appropriate

Q: Is partnering/good practice limited to the UK?

A: No – good practice from around the world whereever appropriate – but have to ensure you can manage this within the funding and time available (e.g. think about travel etc.)

Q: Are there hashtags this

A: No hashtag mentioned for this particular strand (I’ll clarify this if I can)

INF11 – Activity Data

· ostephens

This blog post is written on behalf of JISC

This strand looking for projects that explore user activity data to improve services to institutional staff and students – also there will be a single ‘synthesis’ project in this strand. The detailed description of this strand are at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-f-activity-data/ and a briefing paper is available at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/infrastructure-for-resource-discovery/

All about identifying tools and techniques that can work for the sector. Looking for very practical projects – lookin at how services wil be improve, who will it affect, and how they will be affected. Each project should start with a hypothesis (see http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-f-activity-data/?paragraph=27#27 and http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-f-activity-data/?paragraph=33#33) and expect projects to look at proving/exploring the hypothesis.

Expect project to release datasets using an open licence wherever possible – but to be clear about any legal or moral problems with this within the bid.

Activity data related to all instituitonal systems is in scope.

There is a related call out at the moment – 12/10 the JISC Business Intelligence Programme – Andy highly recommend that anyone thinking of bidding under the #inf11 Activity data strand should also read this call. Note JISC does not want duplicate bids to both of these calls.

INF11 – Infrastructure for Resource Discovery

· ostephens

This blog post is written on behalf of JISC.

Projects to release open metadata about the ollections and resources of HE libraries, museums and archives – details in Appendix E of the call at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-e-infrastructure-for-resource-discovery/ – Andy McGregor (giving this briefing) suggests this is a good place to ask questions via the commenting system, and also may be a way of finding possible partners for bids through the comments. Also see the briefing paper at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/infrastructure-for-resource-discovery/

Projects in this strand should take into consideration the fact that they are part of a wider vision and should take this into account, and consider how they contribute to this (and that they have the time/resource to do it).

Look very carefully at the strict methdology in place – if bids don’t adhere to this won’t get funded. ‘Linked data’ is encouraged but not compulsory – see http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-e-infrastructure-for-resource-discovery/?paragraph=15#15 and http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-e-infrastructure-for-resource-discovery/?paragraph=18#18

Funding is focussed on HE institutions – but partnerships with institutions outside HE is welcome.

Project are about establishing practices that can be adopted by other institutions to spread the benefits around the sector – looking for projects that have ways of doing this embedded into them – not just lip-service to concept.

Data and process must be sustainable – looking for more than just a simple declaration in the bid here but clear ideas of how projects will tackle this.

INF11 – Geospatial strand

· ostephens

This blog post is written on behalf of JISC.

David stressing that projects in this area should have user facing/user interface expertise involved.

Details of this strand are at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-d-geospatial/, and a briefing paper is available at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/geospatial/

Looking for 8-12projects, with total funding available £700k – David noting the very tight deadlines on these projects – 6 months – so projects with teams already in place will probably have an advantage.

Proposals required to:

  • Contribute to wider geo community
  • Define end user requirements
  • Describe interoperability as part of other geospatial tools, services and infrastructure
  • have experts in end user, geospatial data, and development
  • Applicability to current and future policies – David mentions the Inspire Directive specifically
  • Reuse existing tools/components where applicable
  • Particiapte in programme activity (13 days)
  • Support from Senior instituiton staff that active participation in community is viable – and that it fits with institutional strategy/objectives

Q: Look at LandMap – something that might be reused by projects

A: Absolutely – LandMap mentioned in briefing document – reuse important

Again David is on Skype as david.flanders

INF11 – Identifiers Programme Area

· ostephens

This blog post is written on behalf of JISC.

The tag for this strand is #jiscpid (JISC Persistent Identifiers). A full description of this strand is available at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-c-identifiers/, and a briefing papers is available at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/identifiers/

Who will want to bid in this strand?

  • Web managers – the Institutional Web Managers community supported by UKOLN specifically mentioned

David Flanders (who is giving this part of the briefing) is emphasising that he is very very happy for potential bidders to get in contact with him – either email or Skype (he is david.flanders on Skype) is a great way of getting in touch with him

David recommends subscribing to the Information Environment team blog http://infteam.jiscinvolve.org/wp/

David paraphrasing from call – but highlighting the need for projects to:

Engage stakeholders in the institutions

Build consensus for structure as a data model

Communicate structure to a large audience

David suggests posting questions to the JISC Press site for the call

Q: Call implies it should be about identifiers at instituitonal level – but could it focus on a more specific set of resources?

A: As long as it is public facing and about persistent identifiers – doesn’t have to be entire website. E.g. could just be course websites

Q: There is an EC project on research identifiers – should there be a connection between bids and this recent project?

A: Looking to make projects part of larger communities – so could definitely include this, but not limited to this

INF11 – Infrastructure for education and research briefing day

· ostephens

Today I’m doing something different here and blogging on behalf of JISC at a briefing day on the “Infrastructure for education and research briefing day” funding call. The briefing is happening at Goodenough College in London, and kicks off with a “Welcome and overview of e-infrastructure innovation” by Neil Jacobs.

Neil starts with the Vision, and what Infrastructure means:

  • Services, policies, tools, and frameworks

The vision talks about the persistence of information, and the extent to which it can be understood, trusted and reused – so semantics and provenance are key concepts.

Neil notes that programmes are supported by the Innovation Support Centres – that is UKOLN, CETIS and OSSWatch – and these also are key in ensuring coherence across projects and programmes.

Various places to look for information about the programme: