Short answer

Incorporate lifecycle cost analysis and sustainable curation strategies into the design of research projects and their associated outputs.

Field
Sustainability
Source
OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University) (2017)
Method
Workshop and Stakeholder Consultation
Evidence
Moderate effect

Developing sustainable models for the creation and curation of new research products is crucial for long-term scientific advancement. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University). Using Workshop and stakeholder consultation, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Incorporate lifecycle cost analysis and sustainable curation strategies into the design of research projects and their associated outputs.

Study
SustainabilityHigh ImpactModerate effect

Sustainable Curation Models for Evolving Research Outputs

Developing sustainable models for the creation and curation of new research products is crucial for long-term scientific advancement.

OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University) · 2017

01

Key Findings

  • 01Emerging research products require new approaches to curation and management.
  • 02Cost-effective and sustainable models are needed to support the lifecycle of research outputs.
  • 03Collaboration between researchers, funders, and publishers is essential for successful research curation.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Incorporate lifecycle cost analysis and sustainable curation strategies into the design of research projects and their associated outputs.

How to apply

When designing new research tools or platforms, consider how their outputs will be curated, maintained, and made accessible over time, and explore potential revenue or funding streams to support this.

Project actions

  • 01Consider the long-term impact and maintenance of your design project's outputs.
  • 02Investigate different funding models for research projects.
03

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the sustainable models for the creation and curation of emerging research products, considering the roles of researchers, funders, and publishers?
MethodWorkshop and Stakeholder Consultation
ProcedureA workshop was convened with representatives from research institutions, funding agencies, and STEM publishers to discuss challenges and opportunities in research curation and reproducibility.
ContextAcademic and Scientific Research

Variables

IV["Types of research products","Stakeholder roles (researchers, funders, publishers)"]
DV["Sustainability of curation models","Cost-effectiveness"]
CV["Workshop setting","Focus on STEM fields"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Brings together diverse stakeholder perspectives.
  • +Addresses a critical and evolving challenge in research.

Limitations

The workshop focused on broad strategies; specific implementation details for diverse research fields may vary.

Reliability & validity

The findings' reliability and validity are dependent on the representativeness of the workshop participants and the depth of their discussions. Generalizability to all research fields may be limited.

Think critically

How can the principles of circular economy be applied to the lifecycle management of research data and digital research products?

05

Design Principles

"Design for long-term value and accessibility by considering the full lifecycle of research products."

As research outputs become more complex and data-intensive, traditional funding and publishing models may struggle to support their ongoing management. Designers and researchers need to consider the lifecycle costs and potential for innovation in how research is preserved and made accessible.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Think about how to pay for and look after research data and results not just when you create them, but for a long time afterwards, and how everyone involved can help.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Discuss the long-term sustainability and curation of your design project's deliverables.
  • 2.Reference the need for sustainable models when justifying design choices related to data management or product longevity.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The sustainability of research outputs, particularly novel digital products, necessitates the development of robust curation models. As highlighted in discussions involving researchers, funders, and publishers, the long-term costs associated with creation and curation must be sustainably managed by all stakeholders to ensure continued accessibility and reproducibility of scientific findings.

09

Source

OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University)

The first IEEE workshop on the Future of Research Curation and Research Reproducibility

journal · 2017

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about sustainable curation models for evolving research outputs?
Incorporate lifecycle cost analysis and sustainable curation strategies into the design of research projects and their associated outputs. Evidence: OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University) (2017).
Why does "Sustainable Curation Models for Evolving Research Outputs" matter for design?
As research outputs become more complex and data-intensive, traditional funding and publishing models may struggle to support their ongoing management. Designers and researchers need to consider the lifecycle costs and potential for innovation in how research is preserved and made accessible.
How can designers apply this research?
Incorporate lifecycle cost analysis and sustainable curation strategies into the design of research projects and their associated outputs.
What were the main findings?
Emerging research products require new approaches to curation and management.. Cost-effective and sustainable models are needed to support the lifecycle of research outputs.. Collaboration between researchers, funders, and publishers is essential for successful research curation.
What research method was used?
Workshop and Stakeholder Consultation.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2017 journal from OpenBU/Boston University Institutional Repository (Boston University).
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing new research tools or platforms, consider how their outputs will be curated, maintained, and made accessible over time, and explore potential revenue or funding streams to support this.
What are the limitations?
The findings are based on perspectives from a single workshop and may not represent all stakeholder views.