Researchers

Researcher interview methodology:

Data interviews are a great opportunity to talk to researchers about data management challenges and issues and should help to:

• identify data collections;

• learn about research data management practices and needs for services;

• engage with researchers.

The following methodology provides a five-step structured approach to conducting the data interviews and complements the guidance provided on the ANDS Data Interviews webpage.

Prepare

It's all about intelligence gathering and working out a likely target list.

Are you going to interview all possible researchers who might have data, or only a subset?

By interviewing all possible researchers you'll get a lot of information, but that is a big task and will take a lot of time and energy. It's not really feasible for this type of project unless a lot of the ground work has been already done.

You might decide to identify and work with you most published or cited researchers. This supports the 80/20 theory, i.e. 80 percent will be done by 20 percent.

So, who are these researchers?  Are there any information sources that can assist?

• Y could start by looking at HERDC countable publications since 2000 to identify who might have data?

• Ask your library or research office colleagues if any researcher has asked for advice or training about managing their data, you never know.

• Often that's because they have had a data accident or problem. 

• The research office or it's equivalent should be able to tell you which researchers are receiving grants, from where for what and how much and how often.

• Ask your steering committee. Members of your steering committee could act on you behalf to identify researchers for you and to sponsor or set up meetings. If your DVCR is not on the steering committee but is supportive ask them who they'd like you to talk to. Make certain you give them thanks and feedback.

In terms of the likely attitudes that you may expect from researchers:

• Early career researchers are very keen to share their data because they don't have any cultural problems or issues and are keen to be recognised in their discipline.

• Older more senior researchers can be different. They already have been published, cited and recognised by their peers. They are really keen or competitive to maintain or improve their status. However, they probably didn't do or have not had to do a lot of data sharing in their career (astronomers or physicists are notable exceptions).

• Late career researchers who are about to retire can be very motivated to have someone take care of their data legacy.

Plan

Before going to talk to researchers you will need a well thought out plan. An interview framework customised to the requirements of the project at your institution will help you getting ready.

An interview framework will describe and plan the entire interview process from end to end and should include:

1.  A clear definition of the aim and objectives of the interviews as well as the scope (such as type of materials and/or disciplines, etc); 
2. A description of how potential interviewees will be identified and contacted. The previous sections provides some tips of how to do this but the framework will make it explicit; 
3. A set of interview questions that will be used when talking to researchers. These interview questions examples [MS Word] contain a variety of questions organised across a generic research life-cycle that might help you.
4. An explanation of how the interviews will be organised

• Will interviewees be emailed the questions and project background info before the interview? 

• Will you conduct them at their offices? 

• Will you be alone or with let's say someone from IT?
• This has been shown to be a good strategy. You will get questions about storage and it's better to leave the techie stuff to people who really know about this. It's also good to have someone else there so you can compare notes afterwards.
• The interview process 
• Ask permission to record the interview
• Start the interview by who you are and explain the project
• Say how long the conversation will take
• Inform them you take notes
• Explain how the information will be used and analysed
• Explain how you will follow up

Execute

Prepare and gather everything you need ahead of the meeting special spend time learning about the researcher's work.

If you can before your first meeting rehearse everything with a colleague to help you with your technique and to assist with improving your verbal questioning and listening skills and confidence. The more familiar you are with your script the more relaxed and confident you will become.

At the start by introducing yourself and explaining the purpose of the meeting. Help the researcher to understand how this meeting will fit into the aims and scope of the project. You may also want to ask the researcher to introduce himself and describe his area of research.

When you are back at your desk read over what you have written down check to make sure nothing was missed, or you have something that now doesn't make sense. It may be possible to quickly go over the point with the researcher now when it's fresh in their mind. If everything looks okay, then file and store the report ready for the next stage. 

The tone of the meeting should be friendly and co-operative, you are there to ask questions, but more importantly to hear and record responses. 

Do not be surprised if you are asked for comment or help with things outside of your responsibilities. Similarly, sometimes a meeting may feel more like a counseling session.When this happens, record the meeting and inform your steering committee or colleagues to get them to provide support and assistance. 

Above all relax and try to enjoy and learn from each meeting/interview. Each will be unique and rewarding in different ways. You have the opportunity to meet and talk to interesting and unique people.

Analyse

As well as doing a quick analysis immediately after the interview. You will need to do a more thorough analysis.
The objective is to determine a number of key facts and sets information. These will need to be carefully recorded and preserved.

• What types of data are being created? 

• How and where data are being stored? 

• What tools are being used to analyse/process them? 

• How the data are being shared? 

• Which researchers are keen and happy to share their research data? 

• What data do they have to share? 

• What will need to be done to make it possible? 

• How long will this take? 

• Do these researchers have the potential to share their views and influence any colleagues who may be more reluctant? 

• Which researchers are less keen to share? 

• Why is this? Personal preference, ethics or privacy concerns, or what? 

• Do they have research data that it would be good to share? 

• What will need to be done to make it likely? 

• Are there any trends in responses according to discipline, experience or location? 

• What services are needed to support the researcher with their data management tasks? 

• Are there research groups that due to their data needs are keener to engage in further activities?

You may be able to produce several use case or scenarios showing some of the current research data practices and challenges you have encountered. This will help communicating the current state of play at your institution.

Process

Take the results and prepare your own reports and feedback information.

• Plan follow up activities 

• Present reports to your steering committee/board of management 

• Prepare to create collection records 

• Contact ANDS CLO to get RDA user accounts/access setup 

• Enter draft collection records, when approved publish them 

• Contact researchers to show them the collection records 

• Publicise and share your achievements 

• Celebrate your success