Collaborating in practice-oriented research: 10 tips for a flying start

"Create a customised tablet holder for a wheelchair user that is useful for his hobby: plane spotting." ROC van Twente students are working on solutions like this within the practoraat Care and Technology. This department researches the application of technology in healthcare, social work and education, working together with various healthcare institutions and Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

Collaborating with partners from the professional field, such as businesses, governments and social organisations, is central to practice-oriented research at mbo and hbo institutions. Researchers and research support staff therefore need digital solutions for storing and sharing data, including with partners outside their institution.

As a cooperative, SURF offers a safe and simple solution for this: Research Drive is a working environment where data is stored securely during research and where you can also collaborate with external partners. But because research and data management in mbo and hbo are still in development, usage does not automatically run smoothly everywhere. How can you prepare your organisation for Research Drive?

1. Properly map out what your researchers, professors or practitioners need

Databases, an ethics committee, data storage, publication options and access to scientific publications? Or do they just want a collaborative environment? Make sure to dig deeper to identify their real priorities.

2. Identify what digital skills your users have

This will help you assess how much you need to explain. Consider:

• File management: knowing how to create and name folder structure and files so that information is easy to locate and manage.
• Version control: knowing that files can have multiple versions and that the service can keep older copies that you can restore.
• Access data anywhere: knowing that files are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from different devices via a browser or app.
• Synchronisation: files stored in a synchronised folder are automatically updated on all connected devices.
• Collaboration and sharing: understand how to share files or folders with others and set appropriate access levels.

3. Clearly explain the advantages of Research Drive over its major commercial competitor

4. Offer sufficient time and support

Realise that people need to get used to working with a new system.

5. Organise training sessions

Offer regular training sessions in which participants actually get to work with the system. SURF offers an Onboarding Training for institutions that use Research Drive. This is a 3-hour training session after which administrators and users can start using the service.

6. Embed secure data in your policy

Make sure your institution's management also promotes the importance of responsible data handling - and checks whether this actually happens on the work floor.

7. Establish clear agreements on data management

A digital collaborative environment requires some users to adopt a new way of thinking: the data no longer belong to one individual, but to a research group. It is therefore essential to set out clear agreements: who manages what, and who is allowed to delete or modify data? You can make one person responsible for managing the project environment of a research project, for example the principal investigator. This person can invite guests with a simple e-mail, manage research groups, and assign roles and responsibilities. In doing so, you determine who can see what and who is permitted to carry out which actions.

8. Maintain strict control over the recording of metadata

This will help you keep an overview. Moreover, descriptive metadata are essential for making information findable, accessible and reusable. For example: date, author, file format, research method and geographical data.

9. Make use of the knowledge and experience of others

"Organisations such as Fontys, Windesheim and Saxion have arranged things wonderfully and are always willing to share," tips Edith Wanschers, policy advisor ROC van Twente. "But don't be put off by everything that has already been done there. Starting small and taking it step by step is fine. It doesn't have to happen all at once."

10. See what other services you can link for storage and data management, publishing and computing

The most commonly used SURF services in practice-based research:

Bonus tip: trust the technology and give a lot of attention to the process

“The technology is largely in good shape and is well managed by SURF,” says Gerald Wildenbeest of Saxion Research Services. “SURF also ensures that new developments are incorporated, often even within the service’s subscription fee, without additional development costs. What is far more challenging is setting up the processes around that technology. The processes differ from one organisation to another, even though these organisations often struggle with the same challenges. Discussion about this is also facilitated by SURF, in the form of user meetings at various levels: administrative, technical, support, training. Trust the technology, and then give a lot of attention to process management and process design."

This article was created with the Gerald Wildenbeest of the Saxion Research Services (SRS) team and Edith Wanschers, policy advisor at ROC van Twente.