Working together on the Web, working well?
Innovation of a research work environment
Daphne Duin¹, Vincent S. Smith2, Simon Rycroft2, Irina Brake2, Dave Roberts2 &
Peter van den Besselaar¹
¹VU-University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
² Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
d.duin@vu.nl
p.a.a.vanden.besselaar@vu.nl
Abstract
Using a variety of methods, we study the adoption and deployment of a web based research
infrastructure for taxonomy and biodiversity research. The paper focuses on motivations for
use, and on barriers for deployment. We study the de facto use, and compare that with the
motivations and barriers mentioned in interviews. Finally, measure the visibility of the
knowledge produced.
Introduction
Over the last decade or so, the field of biological taxonomy, systematics, and more generally
biodiversity research is has embraced the opportunities of the Web [1,2,3]. This has been
supported by researchers, institutions and funding bodies [4, 5]. The promise of online
collaborative work environments is expected to suit well the heavy reliance on database
information in the field (i.e., specimen records, molecular sequences, taxonomic names,
ecological observations) and for bringing together geographical dispatched expert
communities.
As an experiment in online collaboration a team of scientists from two European initiatives,
EDIT [6] and ViBRANT [7], have developed a Web 2.0 Virtual Research Environment
(Scratchpads –http://scratchpads.eu). Scratchpads are Web-pages that facilitate data
publication, analysis and rapid construction of content rich pages about any taxonomic group.
The Web pages are maintained by researchers who can, with little training, manage content
and access of biodiversity data on the Web.
The Scratchpad case represents a setting where researchers try to break with traditional ways
of doing things. Since a long time in the field of biodiversity the work was carried out by a
solo operating scientist, using manual and paper based systems. Scratchpads aim to team-up
experts by offering them the possibility to create their own, online collaborative networks
supporting their research. Furthermore the system wants to offers an alternative channel for
dissemination of data for researchers’ own needs while empowering a wider constituent of
potential users who are free to repurpose this information of other uses. [9].
Methods
In order to understand the uptake of the system and its effects on the research field, we
conducted a study, focusing on three aspects: 1) we conducted a user survey on motivation
and barriers to use Scratchpad as virtual work environment; 2) we studied the actual use of the
Scratchpad platform; 3) We conducted a webometric analysis of the visibility of the data
published on Scratchpads. Our study is motivated by the understanding that the human and
organizational aspects of research infrastructure are crucial form adoption and deployment
[8].
Preliminary results
1) We conducted interviews amongst the users of Scratchpads. Our goal was to understand the
motivations of the users, the barriers they are confronted with and the effect the use has on the
research practices.. The results indicate that users, are motivated to engage through the social
and technical innovations offered to enhance collaboration. However, according to our
findings users struggled to engage and sustain these collaborations. In these instances
communication of research became a primary motivator. In effect the system is being used by
most respondents as a digital surrogate for paper publications, although a substantial minority
claims collaborating online.
2) We were not only interested to know about users’ perception on their motivation and
barriers to use Scratchpads but we were also interested to see how they are actually using the
platform. Therefore we analysed web statics that are available for each of the Scratchpads.
We analyzed the number of visits for each site, the average duration of each visit, and we
analysed what taxonomy and biodiversity data are made available on each site (type of
documents, number of pages). We also analysed the level of open access: are data “open” or
only visible for the registered members. Finally, we analyse the numbers of downloads for
each of the Web pages.
3) From the user survey we learned that for many respondents Scratchpads are a tool to
communicate their work. In the third part of our study, we analyse the online visibility of data
and information published on Scratchpads, using webometrics techniques. We are carrying
out this part of the study currently, so we do not yet have the results.
Discussion
We expect that our study will identify conditions for use and expected effects of research
infrastructures such as Scratchpads, especially focusing on researchers’ motivation and
barriers to share data. This leads to better understanding of design processes and of
organizational forms of research infrastructures. Finally, we will discuss the required policies
to support this.
References
[1] Godfray, H.C. (2002). Challenges for taxonomy. Nature, 2;417(6884), pp 17-9.
doi:10.1038/419337a
[2] Blagoderov V, Brake I, Georgiev T, Penev L, Roberts D, Rycroft S, Scott B, Agosti D,
Catapano T, Smith VS (2010). Streamlining taxonomic publication: a working example with
Scratchpads and ZooKeys. ZooKeys 50: 17–28. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.50.539
[3] Initiatives such as: Creating a taxonomic e-Science (CATE), Encyclopaedia of Life (EoL),
Species 2000/Catalogue of life, Virtual Biodiversity Research and Access Network for
Taxonomy (ViBRANT) but there are many more.
[4] Lane R., Ashburner M., Ausubel J.H., Blaxter M., Costello M., Dayrat B., Donoghue M.,
Edwards J., Hirsch L., Le Gal, L., Godfray C., Johnson K., Knapp S., Krishtalka L., Kuntner
M., May R., McNeely J., Remsen D., Smith R., Tillier S., Wägele W., (2008). Taxonomy in
Europe in the 21st century. Report to the Board of Directors European Distributed Institute of
Taxonomy. http://ww2.bgbm.org/EditDocumentRepository/Taxonomy21report.pdf;
[5] Several large biodiversity research (e)-infrastructures have been funded under the 5th, 6th
and 7th Framework Programme: Fauna Europea; EDIT; LifeWatch; ViBRANT; I4Life
[6] European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy - e-taxonomy.eu
[7] Virtual Biodiversity Research and Access Network for Taxonomy - vbrant.eu
[8] Sveiby, K. E., Simons R. (2002). Collaborative climate and effectiveness of knowledge
work. An empirical study. Journal of knowledge management 6, 5, pp. 420-433.
[9] Smith, V.S., Rycroft, S. D., Harman, T.,, Scott, B. Roberts, D. (2009). Scratchpads a data
publishing frame-work to build share and manage information on the diversity of life. BMC
Bioinformatics 2009, 10 (Suppl 14):S6 doi:10.1186/1471-2105-10-S14-S6