Participate in research on communication between data stewards and researchers

How do conversations between data stewards and researchers about Research Data Management (RDM) work in practice? Researcher Bogdana Huma (VU Amsterdam) is looking to collect recordings of RDM meetings between data stewards and researchers, and in return, she will offer a free, tailored workshop on RDM communication. 

Developing communication skills for research data professionals  

Communication and advisory skills are an important part of the work of many research data professionals. In the RDNL Competency Framework, these skills are included under the ‘Transversal skills’, one of the seven competency areas for research data professionals. RDNL recently mapped existing trainings for research data professionals against the Competency Framework. The mapping identified transversal skills, including stakeholder engagement and advisory skills, as one of the areas where the training landscape could be strengthened.  

Huma's research provides an opportunity for data professionals to contribute to research into RDM communication while further developing their abilities in this area. 

About this research project 

Open Science is widely valued, but adopting it in practice is slow, often because of practical hurdles that can become visible when researchers create their data management plan (DMP). The research project analyses real conversations between researchers and data stewards. By analysing these conversations, the research team aims to understand which practical challenges around RDM arise and how data stewards address them. The findings will contribute to institutional and national research policy on Open Science and inform communication workshops for participating data stewards.  

The project is led by researchers and research support staff from VU Amsterdam and TU Delft, funded by an internal Startersbeurs from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the VU. 

How to participate  

Participation in the research project involves recording a few regular RDM meetings with researchers, roughly 30-60 minutes each. Recording equipment is provided, if needed.  

The recordings will be anonymised and will only be accessible to the research team, unless explicit consent is given for data to be shared with other researchers. Participants can withdraw at any time.  

Data stewards who take part in the project are offered a free, tailored workshop on communicating with researchers about RDM.  

Do you regularly meet with researchers to discuss RDM, for example about DMPs, and would like to participate to develop your own communication skills further? Contact dr. Bogdana Huma via b.r.huma@vu.nl. You can also contact her for more information and questions about this research project.