Data Management Planning
AHRC funding applicants
Version 1.0 July 2015
University of Bristol
Research Data Service
Image: Marcus Aurelius Denarius2.jpg, Wikipedia, CC-BY-SA 3.0
standards and best practice, to maintain adequate
SUMMARY

documentation to ensure future usability, and to
Digital outputs must be made available and
handle data appropriately in the short term so it can
accessible via an ‘appropriate repository’ for at
be preserved in the long term.
least three years after the end of the funded
This guide is designed to help all AHRC funding
project.1

applicants, particularly those who are required to
The default expectation is that all access to these
submit a Technical Plan with their Je-S application
outputs will be free.

form, to plan the management of their data. An
If digital outputs are planned, a Technical Plan is
example of a Technical Plan is included.
submitted at the application stage. This must not
exceed four pages. Suggested headings are
Expectations of the AHRC
prescribed by AHRC.

The AHRC has a number of specific expectations
AHRC will cover “… appropriate costs of
concerning funded research. Award holders are
preparation and ingest of digital outputs” that are
required to ensure that ‘any significant electronic
incurred within the funding period.
resources or datasets’ are made available and
INTRODUCTION
accessible via an ‘appropriate repository’ for at least
“The AHRC has a responsibility to ensure that the
Applicants explain how they will do this by completing
research which it funds is achievable and high quality,
a Technical Plan at the time of application, adding it to
and that the outputs of the research will wherever
the Je-S form as an attachment. Your Technical Plan
appropriate be accessible to the community over the
must cover the creation of, management of, and
longer term.”2
access to any significant electronic resources that
three years after the end of the funded project.3
result from your AHRC-funded research.
In line with other RCUK funding councils, the AHRC is
committed to the principle that those who receive
If technical research issues such as these (often
research funding should take responsibility for the
collectively known as Research Data Management) are
duration, management, and exploitation of their digital
entirely new to you, you may find it helpful to read our
outputs (which are equivalent to the term ‘research
guide An Introduction to Managing Research Data4
data’, a term used by the other research councils) for
before going any further.
future use. The AHRC recognises the need to create
digital outputs in accordance with appropriate
1
3
Special considerations apply to archaeology, see
Archaeology Data Service, archaeologydataservice.ac.uk
2 AHRC Research Funding Guide,
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/funding/research/researchfundin
gguide/applicationguidance/technicalplan/
Special considerations apply to archaeology, see
Archaeology Data Service, archaeologydataservice.ac.uk
4 Introduction to Managing Research Data,
data.bris.ac.uk/research/Introduction
2
What is a ‘significant electronic resource or
dataset’?
user consultation and end-user testing, and include in-
The AHRC defines these as “… digital outputs or digital
project.
depth user documentation as part of your research
technologies [which] are essential to the planned
The re-use value of digital outputs should be decided
research”. This excludes conventional, everyday
by the lead applicant on the basis of the significance of
software used for administrative purposes (such as
the outputs in the context of your current project,
standard email software or a word-processing
their potential value to the larger research community
software package) and simple websites containing only
and the costs involved in creating and maintaining
information about a project.
them.
It may be that you aren’t planning to develop or create
It is strongly advised that the person responsible for
any digital outputs or digital technologies that meet
technical research activity should contribute directly to
this definition in the course of your research, in which
your Technical Plan.
case you don’t need to produce a Technical Plan at all.
However, you should still consider carefully whether
“Applicants who claim to be able to draw upon
any digital material you expect to create might be of
considerable expertise, but are unable to show that
use to other researchers in the future, and so might be
they have worked closely with the relevant project
defined as a digital output.
participants in completing the Technical Plan, will not
be viewed favourably by Technical Reviewers. It is
For example, transcripts might be created to meet
unacceptable to state that these participants will
your own immediate needs but could also be of use to
address technical issues during the course of the
secondary researchers after the end of the current
project and then fail to provide sufficient technical
project. Similarly, photographs might be produced for
detail in the Technical Plan.”5
one purpose, but later be used by someone else for an
entirely different purpose.
Your Technical Plan will be reviewed in the context of
your proposal as a whole. Technical reviewers will
Demonstrating to the AHRC that you’ve identified
comment on the feasibility of your proposal and a
these digital materials as having potential secondary
technical review will be forwarded to the Principal
uses suggests that they have added value, and this will
Investigator as part of the PI response stage.
provide extra incentive for AHRC to fund your
research. If you believe you’ll be creating digital
material with a very high reuse value (such as a unique
database), it may be appropriate to undertake end-
5
AHRC Research Funding Guide,
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/funding/research/researchfundin
gguide/applicationguidance/technicalplan/
3
o
THE AHRC TECHNICAL PLAN
4b: Ensuring Continued Access and
Use of Your Digital Outputs
Your Technical Plan must not exceed four pages, and
Section 1. Summary of Digital Outputs and
Digital Technologies
may be considerably smaller for projects with only
simple electronic outputs (such as a single
spreadsheet). The content of your Technical Plan
This summary section should provide an overview of
should also be reflected in other relevant parts of your
what you intend to achieve technically, to enable
application. For instance, the Project Management
reviewers to assess whether the plans for
section (in the Case for Support) should take into
accomplishing this are realistic. Consider using a table
account the technical aspects of the project and
to list digital outputs/technologies. Columns headings
provide an assessment of any technical risks (for
might be used to explain: ‘Purpose’ (i.e. relationship to
example, the unavailability of a key technical person).
your research question/s, why it is being made),
Copyright, intellectual property and ethical issues
‘Source’ (for example, where images to be digitised will
relating to digital outputs (see below) should also be
come from), ‘Content’ (for example, what a database
dealt with in the Case for Support. Parts of your
that you are intending to create will consist of once
Technical Plan (especially Section 4: Preservation,
completed), ‘Functionality’ (for example, how a
Sustainability and Use) may also connect with your
software program will work/what it will do), ‘Access
plans for wider research dissemination and the
arrangements’ (for example, ‘will be made available
Pathways to Impact section.
via the Archaeology Data Service’).
Information presented in the Technical Plan is
Not all of these headings will apply to every digital
arranged under headings prescribed by the AHRC and
output. Tailor them and add any you think are
each of these is explored below. They are:
required to suit your own needs, mentioning every

significant digital output you intend to create but
Section 1: Summary of Digital Outputs and
restricting detailed description to the following
Digital Technologies



sections.
Section 2: Technical Methodology
o
2a: Standards and Formats
o
2b: Hardware and Software
Section 2.a. Technical Methodology: Standards
and Formats
o
2c: Data Acquisition, Processing,
This is a particularly important part of the Technical
Analysis and Use
Plan for any future user of your digital outputs. You
Section 3: Technical Support and Relevant
should state which standards or file formats you
Experience
intend to use (e.g. Open Document Format, CSV file or
Section 4: Preservation, Sustainability and Use
Excel spreadsheet) and explain why.
o
4a: Preserving Your Data
4
A significant barrier to sharing any research digitally,
data yourself. If you’re unsure which file formats are
and one you should address in your Technical Plan, is
‘open’ and/or widely used, the UK Data Archive
the widespread use of highly specialised file formats.
publishes a list of the deposit formats6 that they are
In order to use any digital file, a number of digital
prepared to accept. This list should give you an insight
technologies must be available, which are known as
into which file formats are likely to have longevity.
technological ‘dependencies’. These may be fairly
In this section you should also provide an approximate
common technologies such as a desktop PC, the
figure for the amount of data you expect to create (i.e.
Windows 7 operating system and Adobe Reader 9
total file sizes). Although this may be only a rough
software. Or the technology required might be rare
estimate, you should also provide the reasoning
and hard to acquire, or even unique (for example
behind your calculations.
Windows 95 or any software package made by a single
vendor).
The decisions you make to ensure that your digital
outputs/technologies are fit for others to re-use
You should address this problem by minimising the
should also be mentioned in Section 4 of your
number of technological dependencies involved in
Technical Plan: Preservation, Sustainability and Use
using your digital output/technology as much as
(see below).
possible.
Section 2.b. Technical Methodology: Hardware
and Software
Where dependencies are inevitable you should favour
‘open’ technologies rather than proprietary ones.
Proprietary technologies are owned by a vendor or
Within this section you should highlight any additional
group of vendors. Commercial pressures may lead to
or exceptional (compared with standard institutional
the withdrawal of a particular piece of commercial
provision) hardware or software that you intend to use
hardware or software, in favour of a new and possibly
in the course of your research. Any software or
incompatible replacement. In contrast, ‘open’
hardware listed here that has a cost should also be
technologies are supported by a community of users
mentioned in your ‘Justification of Resources’ (and
and do not have the same commercial vulnerabilities.
cross-referenced if there is an associated budget line).
You should write ‘Not applicable’ in this section if you
When selecting a file format, your own research needs
do not intend to use any additional or exceptional
must come first. If you find you need to use an unusual
hardware or software.
or non-standard format (one that isn’t widely used)
you should consider converting it into a more widely
re-usable format, once you have finished using the
6
UK Data Archive File Formats Table, www.data-
archive.ac.uk/create-manage/format/formats-table
5
Section 2.c. Technical Methodology: Data
Acquisition, Processing, Analysis and Use
procedures, policies and controlled access
This section should explain how the standards and
standard and RDSF can provide a description of them
formats described in section 2.a and the hardware and
to go into your application. If you do not intend to
software described in section 2.b relate to each other.
make use of RDSF, your data storage provider’s back-
This section should also correspond to the timetable
up procedures should be described instead.
arrangements used by the RDSF are of a very high
outlined in your ‘Case for Support’, as the Technical
Your Technical Plan should also briefly describe how
Reviewer will assess the co-ordination of technical
you’ll keep your data safe before it’s deposited in a
development with other project activities. You must
secure storage facility (such as the RDSF). This is
show that you have considered how you will achieve
particularly important if you’re conducting field
your aims relating to digital output in practice,
research. As a minimum, try to ensure that at all times
addressing any timetabling issues.
more than one copy of the data exists, and that every
Consider also providing a simple timeline for each
copy can easily be accounted for and located, if
digital output – from creation/collection, through
required.
research use, to its deposition in an appropriate
Quality control
repository.
Your Technical Plan should describe how you’ll ensure
If relevant, this section should include information
the quality of your digital output. Quality control
about storage, quality control and documenting data;
should be considered whenever digital information is
these are explored in more detail below.
created or altered, for instance at the time of data
collection, data entry or digitisation. It may be
Data storage
appropriate to nominate someone within the team
It is recommended that, as you create data, you should
and describe the procedures they’ll use to ensure data
store it in the University’s Research Data Storage
quality (such as allocating time to checking a
Facility (RDSF), managed by the Advanced Computing
percentage of the data manually, entering values into
7
Research Centre (ACRC). Each member of research
prepared databases or ensuring that templates are
staff is entitled to 5TB of storage, without charge.
used).
Contact ACRC directly to request your allocation.
Documenting data
If your storage quota is used up, or your project
requires more storage space than the initial allocation,
Metadata is ‘data about data’ or ‘cataloguing
there will be a cost, and ACRC should be contacted
information’ that enables data users to find and/or use
before your application is finalised. The back-up
a digital output. In your Technical Plan you should
7
Advanced Computing Research Centre,
www.acrc.bris.ac.uk
6
outline plans for documentation, both to meet your
Sustainability refers to the plans for ensuring that
own needs (i.e. to ensure that you can find what you
digital outputs remain publicly accessible and usable
want, when you need it) and those of later users.
beyond the end of funding
In attempting to organise and document your digital
You should clearly indicate in this section which of
output, it may help to imagine a secondary user
your digital outputs will be preserved, which sustained
attempting to make sense of your output in your
and which discarded. It may be that not everything can
absence. If presented only with a digital output, they
or should be preserved, as there is a cost in doing so
may be faced with the difficult task of ‘unpicking’ it.
(and a greater cost in doing so sustainably) but you
So, for example, how would they make sense of file
should justify any decision to discard a digital output.
and folder naming conventions? Has any special
Where funding is acquired to create a digital output
software been used in the creation of an output that
that has explicit re-use value, AHRC requires a
must also be available in order to use it?
minimum of three years after the end of project
Section 3. Technical Support and Relevant
Experience
funding for both preservation and sustainability, though
In this section you should provide information about
cases a longer period will be appropriate for such an
the technical expertise of anyone who will be part of
output. It is important to describe in outline how the
your proposed project. Identify the responsibilities of
costs of doing this (incurred after the end of the grant)
key individuals if possible (for example, “The Research
will be funded, as AHRC awards cannot cover
Assistant will be responsible for ensuring the video
preservation or sustainability beyond the lifetime of
recordings are copied to RDSF storage as soon as
your project.
AHRC also points out that in many (possibly most)
possible after they have been made”). Also mention
AHRC awards can, however, be used to cover “…
any technical support services that you intend to call
appropriate costs of preparation and ingest of digital
on. This may include R&D/Research IT (research
outputs” that are incurred within the funding period.
software development), ACRC (research data storage)
Therefore, in practice preservation and sustainability
or the Public Relations Office (project websites).
are often achieved by depositing the digital material in
an archive (or similar agency) during the project.
Section 4. Preservation, Sustainability and Use
Realistic depositing charges made by the archive can
The AHRC’s definitions of Preservation and
be directly costed into your grant application.
Sustainability are:
Remember that such charges must be paid within the
lifetime of the project and not after it has finished.
Preservation means the storage of a project’s digital
outputs beyond the end of funding
7
The AHRC expects any digital outputs that are
Section 4.a. Preserving Your Data
preserved and sustained also to be made freely
Preservation should be considered under four
available (i.e. with open public access for data and
headings for each of your named digital outputs: what,
open-source status for any software that you develop).
where, how and for how long. If you don’t intend to
If you propose to charge users for access, you will have
preserve your data yourself, you should also add ‘who’
to justify this, as the default expectation is that all
(for example, the ACRC’s Research Data Storage
access will be free.
Facility).
In this section it may be appropriate to refer back to
In cases where digital outputs are preserved but not
your choices concerning standards, formats and
sustained, the expectation is that they should still be
documentation (which you described in Section 2.a
freely available on request.
‘Technical Methodology: Standards and Formats’) in
Section 4.b. Ensuring Continued Accessibility
and Use of Your Digital Outputs
cases where these make your outputs easier to
Sustainability should be considered in five ways: what,
formats rather than proprietary ones).
preserve and/or sustain (for example, by using open
where, how, for how long, and how the cost will be
Archaeology Data Service
covered. Again, if you’re not intending to do this alone,
add ‘who’ and name any individuals or organisations
Award holders in archaeological disciplines should
that will be helping you achieve sustainability. There
deposit outputs with the Archaeology Data Service
are costs to ensuring sustainability and these are
(ADS). The ADS should be consulted before the start of
greater than those of simple preservation alone.
the proposed research to discuss the form and extent
of electronic materials to be deposited, as there will be
For each digital output which is to be sustained,
a charge for this deposit.
consider the costs involved and the expertise required
to maintain and provide access beyond the end of the
Any significant archaeological resources or datasets
project (for example, issues relating to maintenance or
funded by the AHRC (together with documentation)
updates to technology). There may also be a need to
must be offered for deposit with the ADS within three
update the intellectual content (for example,
months of the end of the project.
information within a database) in addition to the
University of Bristol Research Data Repository
technical infrastructure (for example, the format of a
The University of Bristol has its own research data
database).
repository which researchers from any discipline may
Explain how each cost will be met and by whom. For
wish to use. This repository can provide ongoing
example, the Library, or another University service,
access to research data for extended periods of time
might provide a firm commitment to sustain and
and can issue unique DOIs for deposited datasets (see
provide access to your output for a specified period.
‘Citing research data in research outputs’, below). For
8
smaller datasets, there is no cost. If you are planning
external partner, copyright and intellectual property
to deposit larger datasets in the repository, a cost may
rights issues may need to be clarified in a formal
be incurred. Contact the data.bris service8 as early as
agreement. While this isn’t required as part of your
possible if you believe you’ll need to use Bristol’s data
application, it should be mentioned that such an
repository.
agreement will be created if the application is
successful. Research Enterprise and Development9 can
Intellectual property and ethical issues
advise further on collaborative research agreements
Intellectual property and ethical issues relating to
and other intellectual property rights issues.
digital outputs should primarily be dealt with in the
In addition, all recipients of research grants must
‘Case for Support’. However, if these issues affect your
adhere to the Data Protection Act 1998. If you plan to
ability to provide ongoing access to your digital
handle sensitive, personal data, extra security
outputs, they should also be mentioned in this section.
measures must be considered. The Office of the
You must take account of the consequences of
University Secretary10 can provide more advice on
intellectual property, copyright and ethical issues
observing data protection legislation.
during the period in which the digital output will be
_____________________________________
publicly accessible. The AHRC will expect you, as award
holder, to deal with any copyright issues that concern
CITING RESEARCH DATA IN
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
your research. Examples are ensuring that ‘release
forms’ are signed for interviewees or ensuring that
copyright permissions are provided with any video
documentation that you produce as part of your
From 1st April 2013 all the UK’s research funding
project. Bear in mind that if you are planning to use
councils, as part of RCUK, require research outputs (i.e.
existing data as part of your research, that data may
journal articles) to provide a means by which third
be subject to copyright or other restrictions which
parties can access any underpinning research datasets.
could prevent you from sharing any new outputs you
This may be a reference (such as a unique URL or DOI)
derive from it. You should inform the AHRC if this is
printed in a paper, which will lead an enquirer to a
the case.
specific web page where the data is available. Or the
enquirer might be directed to a page which displays
Unless stated otherwise, the ownership of intellectual
the contact details of a custodian of the data, whom
property lies with the organisation carrying out the
they are asked to email in order to gain access to the
research. However if you plan to collaborate with an
data.
8
10
The University of Bristol’s Research Data service
data.bris, data.bris.ac.uk
9 Research Enterprise and Development,
www.bristol.ac.uk/red/contracts
Office of the University Secretary,
www.bris.ac.uk/secretary/dataprotection
9
Given the extended timescales involved in this process
(possibly extending beyond the mandatory three years
mentioned above), it is strongly recommended that
the authors of published academic outputs do not
provide their current contact details as a means of
accessing underpinning research data, as these details
will change over time. If you plan to use an established
data repository service, ask this service for a unique
reference identifier which could be included in the
publication instead. If you’re not planning to use an
established data repository service, contact data.bris11
for further guidance.
11
The University of Bristol’s Research Data service
data.bris, data.bris.ac.uk
10
SAMPLE TECHNICAL PLAN
The following is intended as an illustration of an AHRC Technical Plan. It is drawn from a real world AHRC proposal
prepared by the Department of Religion and Theology and submitted to the AHRC. The plan is made public with the
kind permission of the applicant, Dr. Rita Langer. This document also contains comments subsequently made by the
anonymous ARHC technical reviewer, used with the permission of the AHRC.
Technical Risks, budgeting for technical items and copyright issues were covered in the wider ‘Case for Support’. This
document is not available. The Case for Support also contains the following statement, explaining how the planned
digital outputs relate to the wider research questions:
“The audiovisual material illustrating individual cases of [ritualistic] food offerings is primarily aimed at school and
university students, but the outreach potential beyond academia is great. I also envisage the dissemination of the
videos in Sri Lanka and to expatriate communities in London and overseas. The presentation format of the material
will be tailored to different audiences: a series of approximately 12 self-contained, short video documentaries of 23mins each will serve as teaching material for schools and undergraduate students and these will also be combined
into a half hour documentary on Buddhist Cosmology, aimed at expatriate communities and researchers. An online
photo exhibition will be aimed at all these users as well as the general public. All the media will be drawn upon to
create teaching/lesson packs for secondary schools to give some context to the issues discussed.”
KITCHEN COSMOLOGY PROJECT: TECHNICAL PLAN
Section 1: Summary of Digital Outputs and Digital Technologies
Output #
Digital output
Type
Format/Duration/size
Planned access
1
‘Kitchen
Cosmology’
documentary
Digital video
MPEG4, 30min,
500MB
Open access via CBS website
(bristol.ac.uk), Vimeo & UK
Data Archive
2
12x ‘bite-sized’
mini
documentaries
Digital video
MPEG4, 2-3min each,
40MB each
Open access via CBS website
(bristol.ac.uk), Vimeo & UK
Data Archive
3
3x teaching
packs for
secondary
education
Online photo
exhibition
Text with
accompanying
digital video
PDF (text, approx.
5MB) along with
videos listed above
Open access via CBS website
(bristol.ac.uk) & JORUM
4
Set of approx.
JPEG, 1.5MB each
80 digital images
with text
Open access via CBS website
(bristol.ac.uk)
2a: Standards and Formats
In order to ensure the widest possible use I aim to disseminate the video in the widely adopted MPEG4 format. After
consultation with JISC Digital Media and the BBC Archive, more ‘open’ video formats such as OGG Theora have been
considered but discounted due to low uptake. The MPEG4 profile I intend to use is as follows: Progressive, 720x1080
pixels (HD), uncompressed audio. This represents an optimum balance of quality and usability. After consultation with
the Web Team at Bristol, I can confirm that the target MPEG4 format is suitable for streaming and download via the
bristol.ac.uk servers. MPEG4 is also a preferred deposit format for UK Data Archive and accepted by JORUM and
Vimeo.
Any video footage with reuse value that we do not include within the named digital outputs will be retained in the
native DSLR shooting format (MPEG4, 1920x1080) and will also be offered as ancillary material for download
alongside the finalised documentaries on the bristol.ac.uk site and via the UK Data Archive.
Digital photographs will also be retained in their larger, .RAW format (and also made available for download) while
lower resolution, JPEG surrogates will be created for the online exhibition.
2b: Hardware and Software

1x laptop computer and Final Cut Pro video editing package to allow editing in the field

2x external hard drives (not for long-term storage, only to allow duplicate backup in the field)

1x video kit: DSLR with HD video capability (Cannon 550d), video light and tripod with ‘fluid’ video head

1x audio recording kit: Sennheiser MKE 400 Microphone with wind cover, boom pole, and headphones
Note: Costs for each of the items listed here also appear in the ‘Justification of Resources and Project Budget’.
2c: Data Acquisition, Processing, Analysis and Use
The timetable below outlines the significant technical tasks involved in the three year project:
2013
O N D
J
F
M A
2014
M J J
A
S
O N D
J
F
M A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
12
2015
M J J
A
S
O N D
J
F
M A
2016
M J
J
A
S
Task #1 video preproduction/production phase: research, hiring freelancers, meetings, location hunting, etc. and 2x
field trips to Sri Lanka

first trip is dedicated to recording testimonies and private offerings (Nov 2013)

second trip to coincide with Vesakh festival (May 2014) is dedicated to recording public food offerings, festivals
and feasts
Task #2 video post-production phase: capturing video content, creation of first edits
Task #3 initial screening of edited videos: at 20th Postgraduate Conference of Religion and Theology in Bristol (March
2014) and to a Bristol schools audience (October 2014)
Task #4 creation of second (refined) edit: based on any changes required after first screening, addition of final
voiceover and captions
Task #5 presentation of videos: at one-day international workshop on “Food and Cosmology” in Bristol (March 2015),
and present videos to the Sri Lankan expat community in London (Vesakh, May 2015)
Task #6 finalisation of media: selection of photographs, authoring corresponding contextual descriptions, edit of minidocumentary, creation of written secondary school teaching materials. Authoring of written translations as Closed
Captions (May/June/July 2014)
Task #7 academic dissemination phase: preparation of digital outputs via the web, uploading videos to launch of
bristol.ac.uk website. Deposit of videos and photographs with UKDA, videos with Vimeo and teaching material with
JORUM (June-July 2015)
Task #8 wider dissemination phase: documentary to be submitted to the 23rd Sheffield International Documentary
Festival (June 2016); 14th RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Film (June 2017) and International Buddhist Film
Festival (date to be confirmed). The project will participate in further 3rd party, public events throughout the third
year of the project, including exhibition and film screening for wider audiences as opportunities are announced.
13
AHRC assessment: Project management
The technical components of the project are very clearly managed. The capture, editing and management of the
digital components of the project are suitably structured and divided between core research team members and
additional experts. The PI has appropriate broad level experience to co-ordinate these activities. The timetable is
clear and has appropriate milestones. The team have the required expertise both to assess the workload required
and to complete it as planned. The resources are appropriate. There is no specific pilot phase for digital
production but the timetable allows for development of outputs over time, and the potential for feedback and
enhancement. I have no doubt that the research and dissemination outcomes could be completed given the
management processes described here.
Data storage:
Bristol’s Research Data Storage Facility (RDSF) will be used to store the data during the project. The facility represents
2 million pounds of digital resilient storage, with ongoing capital investment. The RDSF is overseen by a steering group
of senior research and support staff, which includes the PVC Research. Backup procedures are robust (overnight
backup, copies held remotely on tape) and secured access is in place.
Recordings made in the field will be copied to the RDSF via a secure web connection, by the PI, as soon as possible,
but some delays are expected due to Sri Lankan facilities. Therefore an external, portable hard drive (and an identical
copy, for redundancy purpose) will be used for backup in the field. These will remain the responsibility of the PI and
filmmaker (each will be carried separately).Checking the quality of recordings made and photographs taken each day
will be the responsibility of the PI.
Metadata:
No exceptional metadata/cataloguing difficulty is expected during the project. The Final Cut editing package will be
used to automatically log each video clip as it is added. During the project, simple file/folder naming will be used to
locate each piece of media as it is needed. A spreadsheet will be used to log participants’ (interviewees’) details and to
ensure a release form has been signed by them. Extra documentation will be created for dissemination purposes (see
below).
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AHRC assessment: Data development methods
Digital video and photographic content will be captured during fieldwork and then edited together into a series of
digital outputs, including documentaries, a website and learning resources. These will be delivered on-line, on
DVDs, and during public and more intimate face to face dissemination activities.
The digital formats proposed are appropriate and the choices made have been informed by expert advice. The
use of standards is well articulated. There is limited discussion of metadata but I would agree with the applicant
that the project poses no specific metadata requirements and given the expert consultation and output
frameworks I feel happy that appropriate metadata will be generated and published.
The proposed data development methods clearly fit with the research questions of the project. They are
straightforward and present no specific risks. I am also convinced of the value of the proposed digital outputs
both for future scholarship.
Section 3: Technical Support and Relevant Experience
I have completed the course ‘Documentary filmmaking for Fieldwork’ at Manchester University (2011) and have
essential filmmaking skills such as video composition, lighting and sound recording. I have created two teaching videos
on similar themes in Laos and Thailand. To cover more elaborate events, such as festivals and feasts, I shall employ a
filmmaker with skills in advanced editing, post production and video delivery. I shall begin working with the filmmaker
in the UK and we shall then undertake the field trips together.
Bristol is the host institution of JISC Digital Media, a national media advisory service. JISC Digital Media offers course
within the University. A course on video production and editing will be attended by the project student. JISC Digital
Media are also able to offer, wider ongoing support throughout the project.
The Public Relations Office (PRO) team are available to advise on building the project website which will be used for
delivery of the streaming videos and as a digital photo exhibition platform. Both JORUM and the UKData Archive have
provided clear depositing guidance and will be available to answer queries during the project.
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AHRC assessment: Technical infrastructural support
The digital infrastructure requirements of the project are clearly addressed. There is a local repository and also a
range of external dissemination methods, and an external repository. The host institution will provide appropriate
levels of support in terms of advice and facilities. There is no indication of a formal agreement in this respect but
this seems implicit in the technical plan and other application documents. The recruitment of the web developer is
not described in depth (although I have assumed that this will be an internal appointment from the Bristol web
team) and the application could make reference to requirements for appropriate standards to be maintained on
the project website (both in terms of language and technical details).
The experts consulted and the participants in the project have an excellent technical preparedness for
involvement in this project. The backup provision is appropriate.
4a: Preserving the Data
In addition to serving as a data storage facility for the duration of the project, ACRC will undertake to preserve each of
the digital outputs mentioned above, for three years beyond the end of the project on the Research Data Storage
Facility, undertaking refreshment of storage media as required. These materials will be available on request.
Sustainability and open access are discussed below.
AHRC assessment: Data Preservation and sustainability
The preservation strategies for the original and derived data are excellent, and fit with the research and
dissemination proposals. Following funding the resources will remain accessible for at least the three years
required. They will be disseminated through a range of channels, supported by social media and other
mechanisms for promoting their existence and continued use. Embedding the content in learning resources will
also encourage continued use. Maintenance of the resources described should require minimum intervention
(despite the technical plan proposing a likely need for technical migration during the three years), and certainly
none specifically from the funded project team. There is no stated plan to update the intellectual content of the
resource after the funded period ends.
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4b: Ensuring Continued Access and Use of Your Digital Outputs
The access arrangements and sustainability plans for each digital output are address below:
‘Kitchen Cosmology’ documentary and 12x ‘bite-sized’ mini documentaries
The videos will be made available via the bristol.ac.uk website (both as streaming media and downloads) HD and SD
versions will be provided to accommodate those with lower bandwidth. Closed Caption translations into Sri Lankan
will be created by the CI and presented as an online option.
Videos will also be made available via Vimeo, a platform that is already well used by research students at Bristol.
Appropriate metadata will also be provided to the existing Vimeo standard.
All video will also be available for download and re-editing by third parties. To facilitate this Creative Commons
licenses will be assigned to each item. In order to ensure this usage is possible, the required permissions will be
gathered from participants (using a suitable release form) before recording commences.
Once completed, no further amendments are required in terms of the intellectual content of these videos though
(given the fast pace of media technology) new formats are likely to be required within three year of the project
ending. It will be the responsibility of Bristol’s Public Relations Office (Web Team) to generate these, in line with other
video already present on the bristol.ac.uk domain. The domain is indexed regularly by Google and appropriate
keywords will be used to improve visibility. Responsibilities for updating videos deposited with the UKDA and JORUM
belong to those respective archives.
Online photo exhibition
Images will be presented online as simple JPEGs with textual descriptions. No format migration is expected to be
required in the foreseeable future. Downloading of these and original .RAW format images will be permitted via
Creative Commons licences. Responsibilities for photographs deposited with the UKDA and JORUM belong to those
respective archives.
3x teaching packs for secondary education
The teaching packs will consist of text and a selection of the media listed above. Each will be a Reusable Learning
Object (RLO) and deposited with JORUM for wider dissemination. Each teaching pack will also be made available via
the bristol.ac.uk website. Keywords and other metadata, describing the resource will be provided to the existing
JORUM standard.
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AHRC assessment: Access
The website, repositories, DVDs and other mechanisms proposed are excellent. These will be supported by
submission of content to festivals and exhibitions, and an array of public-facing (academic and non-academic)
activities to mediate and promote these resources.
Each of these activities has been appropriately resourced given the research plan, and the existing expertise and
facilities at Bristol. The technologies are all fit for purpose and have been carefully evaluated. Access will be open
to all resources.
AHRC overall assessment
The technical components of this proposal are clearly and succinctly defined. The project team have sought
appropriate advice, gained the necessary support to ensure a high quality, accessible set of resources. They have
also identified a series of ways both to ensure the quality and diversity of the original material, and to disseminate
this information widely.
My only clarifications related to the need for participants to be clear about the re-use of material under creative
commons licenses (although I accept that this should be implicit in the statements regarding gaining permission,
signed release forms etc. from interviewees), to the longer term access to the raw footage (although I again
accept that the funding requires only three years), and for a specific articulation of the standards to which the
project website will adhere e.g. in terms of language employed and technical accessibility rating (particularly given
the audio-visual focus). Overall a very clear description of what sounds like an interesting and broadly accessible
project.
AHRC overall mark 6 (out of a possible 6).
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