Search

How big data is reshaping the future of digital scholarship in Canada

by — Oct 21 '13

publicEngagementHands

When things seem disorganized, we sometimes like to suggest that the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. According to Canada’s leading funding agencies for digital research, however, the problem may simply be too many hands trying to grapple with too much information.

Recently the Tri-Council Agencies — along with the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Genome Canada, or TC3+ — launched a public consultation on what they call “digital scholarship.” Research projects that get funded by these agencies could lead to major breakthroughs in user-experience design, gamification and interactive display, but they will all likely generate and collect significant amounts of information. While the IT industry has been filled with excited discussions about the promise and perils of big data, though, the TC3+ are suggesting our research community needs a strategic framework to ensure they make the most of it:

Canada is well placed to both take full advantage of the social and economic potential of the data deluge, and discover new ways of ensuring confidentiality, privacy and the protection of public interests . . . A coordinated approach to policy formulation; personnel training; development of infrastructure and analytical tools; and managing, conserving and providing access to research data would help ensure that Canadians derive greater and more long-term benefit, both socially and economically, from the extensive public investments that are made in research.

The consultation document suggests three over-arching steps. These include plans to better align various stakeholders in the research community, creating new centres for managing data and “establishing a culture of stewardship.” This last point is where it gets interesting, because the kind of stewardship being proposed here would create new expectations in how researchers apply for funding. They would need to include “specific data management plans,” for information created or gathered through their work, provide details about the formats it will take and commit to working with other researchers who may already be dealing within the same area.

To some, this may seem like an onerous exercise that merely creates more paperwork for digital scholars who want to spend more time innovating. The counter-argument is that Canada will only be able to commercialize our best research ideas if our researchers were operating more like a true community. Surely they can all agree on the values of sharing information, of making it easier to find and use. The beginnings of a community should already be there. The consultation document merely presents an organizing principle that sets the stage for more deliberate collaboration. Think of it as a UX project that would benefit anyone investigating something with commercial potential. And think of this call for public comment as the kick-off.

Other Items Worth Watching This Week:

Shane Schick

Shane Schick is the editor of CommerceLab. A writer, editor and speaker who helps people create value with information technology. Shane is also a technology columnist with Yahoo Canada, an editor-at-large with IT World Canada, the editor of Allstream’s expertIP online community and the editor of a U.S. magazine about mobile apps called FierceDeveloper. Shane regularly speaks to CIOs and IT managers at events across Canada about how they can contribute to organizational success, and comments on technology trends as a guest on CBC, BNN, CTV and other programs.