Research tools and data services

To establish sustainable software development and operation practices, NFDI4Culture supports scholars and institutions on a variety of levels. For instance, as part of the NFDI4Culture Helpdesk, the Software Consulting Agency provides assistance regarding subject-specific requirements within the NFDI4Culture community in conjunction with the development, consolidation, operation, and certification of sustainable, interoperable research tools and data services on the basis of the FAIR principles. Accordingly, a strategy for the long-term availability of research software and services is being developed and applied.

Helpdesk

The Software Consulting Agency itself benefits from the knowledge and advice of the expert forum "Sustainable Software Development in NFDI4Culture". The forum is a group of software developers, academic experts and representatives from research organisations and infrastructure institutions, who meet twice a year to discuss sustainable software development in the context of NFDI4Culture and to find strategies for promoting and establishing the topic across the cultural heritage field. The forum is organised by staff of NFDI4Culture, its members however are external experts from the wider community. The members of the expert forum are:

Felix Bach (KIT-SCC, Karlsruhe)
Alexander Czmiel (BBAW, Berlin)
Ulrike Henny-Krahmer (Universität Rostock)
Daniel Jettka (Universität Paderborn)
Anne Klammt (Hannah-Arendt-Institut, TU Dresden)
Claes Neuefeind (CCeH/IDH, Universität zu Köln)
Anna Neovesky (IGdJ, Hamburg)
Daniel Nüst (TU Dresden, de-RSE)
Gudrun Oevel (IMT, Universität Paderborn)
Laurent Pugin (RISM CH, Bern)
Matthias Razum (FIZ Karlsruhe)
Torsten Roeder (Leopoldina Akademie, Halle)
Georg Schelbert (Institut für Kunst- und Bildgeschichte, HU Berlin)
Martina Scholger (ZiM/ACDH, Universität Graz)
Zoe Schubert (Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, TIB Hannover)

The development of a registry of existing tools and data services for the research on material and immaterial cultural assets serves two main purposes. Firstly, it provides an easily accesible overview of relevant offers. And secondly, it enables researchers to access these solutions. This approach should, for instance, prevent parallel software developments and duplications. All included metadata will be issued under a CC0 licence while all tools and services will receive a unique identifier to enable referencing. Finally, a step-by-step certification process will be implemented for the registry offerings.

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Another important goal is the further (and potentially new) development of specific, needs-based research tools and data services, which are to be provided due to their high relevance for an extended circle of users and beyond their original (and time-limited) project context. Within the framework of the expert forum "Sustainable Software Development in NFDI4Culture", the needs of the communities are identified and suggestions for funding of particular measures are developed, evaluated and proposed.

The flex funds are intended for direct distribution to the community. In the area of "Research Tools and Data Services", an annual public community forum on the "Further Development of Research Tools & Data Services in NFDI4Culture" is organised. In consultation with researchers from the various disciplines, the needs of the community are identified and proposals for research funding are discussed.
Over a period of four years, a total of approximately €400,000 will be distributed to the NFDI4Culture communities through the annual forum on the "Further Development of Research Tools & Data Services", thus promoting user-oriented and sustainable software development.

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