Good Support Helps To Avoid Data Horror. Experiences With Organising Research Data Management Support

Abstract

The complexity around data management decisions is a tangible burden to researchers and can be a significant barrier to engaging with Open Science principles. Researchers often face a multitude of choices regarding storage solutions, sharing technologies, security, and legal and ethical concerns, each with its own set of implications for their work. Simplifying these processes through the development of intuitive tools, clear guidelines, and nearby support is crucial for demystifying the preservation of research data and making it more approachable.

Since 2018, Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam has been steadily developing a data management ecosystem consisting of professional support services, an adequate technical infrastructure, and an awareness-raising and training programme to increase the skillset of researchers on data and software management. This ecosystem is organised as a collaborative effort in which faculty and central services are strongly involved in a network organisation, the Network for Research Data Support (NeRDS). Operational since April 2021, NeRDS focuses on professionalising Research Data Management (RDM) and services through four main tasks: (1) providing user support on tooling and sustainable data and software management services; (2) maintaining the technical solutions on data and software management; (3) innovating and developing new services based on researcher demand; and (4) offering data and software management information and training within a community.