Enhancing Usability and Contributability of RDA DMP Common Standard for Machine-Actionable DMPs

What:

The current RDA DMP Common Standard specification have several issues affecting its usability and possibility for others to contribute. Mainly, not having a single source of truth in the specification causes issues with consistency and community contributions. There are also other issues related to making new releases of the standard, or its website. This project will analyze and address those by applying expertise from software engineering, especially processes verified by practice in open-source software. As a consequence it will improve the quality and consistency of the standard, and facilitate its adoption by a wider range of stakeholders. One of the main goals is to introduce maintainable single source of truth for the standard. That will help also with automating distribution and verification, e.g. generating documentation or checking there is no inconsistency in the standard. Finally, there will be clear way on how to extend the standard or directly contribute to it.

Who:

Marek Suchánek - double - degree PhD candidate at the Faculty of Information Technology, CTU in Prague as well as Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp

Biography:

Meet Marek Suchánek - the double-degree PhD candidate at the Faculty of Information Technology, CTU in Prague as well as Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp. His passion for software engineering and ontology engineering has led him to focus on cutting-edge projects related to FAIR data, data stewardship, and Open Science. He is designing and developing novel solutions and improving existing ones that are widely used. One of his most prominent projects is the Data Stewardship Wizard, a data management planning tool that utilizes smart questionnaires and versatile document templates. Marek is also involved in other noteworthy projects such as FAIR Data Point, Smart City Compass, FAIR Data Station, or RDMkit. Marek actively participates in ELIXIR and RDA, striving to improve the way we approach data management and Open Science.

Scientific Domain:

Software Engineering / Data Stewardship

Your Domain specific Engagement:

The engagement is mainly through DMP Common Standards WG and Active Data Management Plans IG within RDA. The groups consist of key stakeholders such as DMP platform owners. From the researchers point of view, RDA and EOSC Focus Groups of ELIXIR can be involved.

Your Promotion and Networking:

Promotion of domain specific Open Science practices/EOSC/RDA at meetings and conferences, publications and presentations. 

The initial plans will be already discussed during RDA 20th Plenary. Then, additional discussion with (partial) work done will take place at the next RDA Plenary/Plenaries and possibly also the EOSC Symposium 2023. Within the WG and IG of RDA related to DMPs, webinar and online discussion will be scheduled based on needs for the development and results dissemination.

The project's activities and outputs are featured on the RDA website.

Your Connection to RDA WG/IG or CoP:

Co-chair of RDA DMP Common Standards WG

Member of Discipline-specific Guidance for Data Management Plans WG, RDA in Czech Republic, Open Science Graphs for FAIR Data IG, and Active Data Management Plans IG

Your Outputs:

Country:

Czech Republic