Fair In Practice - Jisc Report On The Findable Accessible Interoperable And Reuseable Data Principles

Abstract

This report investigates the meaning and (potential) impact<br> of the FAIR data principles in practice. These principles<br> were established by a group of diverse stakeholders<br> engaging via a working group in FORCE11. They are<br> referenced in many policy documents and in developments<br> of open science, for example, the European Open Science<br> Cloud. This report explored FAIR with stakeholders in the<br> UK academic research community. Its aims were to<br> understand how using or being inspired by these principles<br> improves the findability, accessibility, interoperability and<br> reuse of research data, including consideration of<br> disciplinary differences. Jisc established a group of research data experts and Jisc<br> staff who provided expertise and helped to validate<br> findings. Interviews and focus groups were conducted,<br> primarily with researchers, but also involving input from<br> research support professionals, publishers and funders. <br> An assessment of the use of FAIR principles in institutional<br> research data management (RDM) guidance was also<br> carried out. Data collected from these activities was<br> synthesised and structured using a PEST framework -<br> grouped into factors relating to Political, Economic, Social<br> and Technical aspects. Explicit use of FAIR was seen to be limited, in many cases,<br> to discussion at a fairly conceptual level amongst those<br> most heavily involved in best practice of data management.<br> Even where FAIR was fairly well established as a term and<br> a concept, it tended to largely reflect existing practice.<br> Arguably this was without significantly influencing many<br> practical changes for those at the “leading edge” of data<br> management, although it did provide a new and effective<br> common way of communicating best practice. However, in exploring the underlying practices of research,<br> demonstrating findability, accessibility, interoperability<br> and reusability, there was considerable evidence that<br> good practice existed in all of these elements. In many<br> cases this was both well established (over many years)<br> and continually improving.