Louise Patterton

CSIR

DISNEY DOES DATA:

Data management implicationsof using animated video as

training tool

ABSTRACT

The Network of Data and Information Curation Communities (NeDICC)

created an animated video as study material for librarians attending RDM

workshops. It was thought that the concept of a YouTube-uploaded animated

video as training tool would provide a refreshing, unconventional and

humorous mode of teaching concerning a subject area currently not

understood my many librarians. Taking into account ease of use,

affordability, customization options as well as proven track record,

GoAnimate was chosen as video platform.

ABSTRACT (continued)

Data product implications for creators/curators of the video were

numerous, and include intellectual property rights, sharing intent, format

and restrictions, mobile device issues, preservation formats, conversion

tools, and storage and backup locations.

Speed of video technology evolvement, the benefits of a data

management plan for the smallest of research outputs, the need for

familiarization with ownership issues and IP rights when making use of

web-based animation, and the omnipresent threat of format obsolescence

as well as the possible future limitations of proprietary software, are some

of the learnings gained.

1. BACKGROUND

• NeDICC (Network of Digital Curation Communities) regularly present

Research Data Management (RDM) workshops

• Feedback from learners indicated that ‘research data’ understanding and

experience is lacking

• An animated video, explaining the basics of research data, was created for

NeDICC

• Video is 17 minutes in length, and was created using GoAnimate software

• Video was uploaded to YouTube:

http://youtu.be/q2aiDJzJPuw?list=UUqSqitoQyFcqNJg_1vQIydA

BACKGROUND (continued)

• Video can also be viewed on GoAnimate website: click here

• GoAnimate subscription allows video creator to download created videos

to mp4 format

• YouTube video is compulsory viewing for future workshop attendees

• Animated video is to be viewed prior to attending an RDM

workshop/preparatory work

2. ANIMATION AS CONCEPT:

• …somewhere between the motionless world of still images and the

real-time world of video images lies the flip-book world of computer

animation….

• Cartoon animation is the most popular style of explainer video

(Mendez, 2014)

3. ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT

OVERVIEW OF ANIMATED VIDEO :

• Multimedia data have shown proliferation in recent years as data type. The

author has reached the conclusion that it will soon replace conventional

alpha-numeric data as most prevalent data format

• Multimedia data types have different spatial, temporal, storage, retrieval,

integration and presentation requirements than traditional data

• When looking at the properties of digital video, the combination of frames,

links, colour, motion, audio, and shapes provide for a unique data type

• Many researchers have used YouTube as a dataset for academic research

(Kousha, Thelwall & Abdoli, 2012)

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

NAMING CONVENTION:

• Has to be concise, meaningful, and avoid confusion

FILE FORMAT:

• Store in at least 3 different formats ; conversions would be required. Open

source format to be investigated in due course

• Message contained in the video, and not the image quality, is of prime concern

in this case

• Choice of preservation format is crucial

• Compression can be an issue

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

DATA STORAGE (short- and long term):

• At least 2 different places: network and cloud

• Although it can be accessed via YouTube as well as GoAnimate website,

storage on those websites is not regarded as sufficient by the author

• Self-archiving to be implemented for long term archiving (on sites other

than GoAnimate and Youtube)

• Reliance on CSIR ICT for backups

• For preservation purposes, the significant properties of digital video are

the video length, frames per second, video dimensions, bit-rate,

associated metadata, and file size. If audio is also provided, the audio bit-

rate, frequency, and number of channels are to be considered too

• Video animation is an easier storage medium than video

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

DATASET SIZE:

• Bigger volume than other RDM training datasets: 266 MB

• Dataset size has implications for access, sharing and storage

DATA DESCRIPTION/METADATA:

• Still reliance on text metadata

• Human annotation vs feature extraction. Human intervention still needed

• In terms of information retrieval, accuracy is lower, complexity is higher

(when using human annotation)

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

DATA ACCESS:

• Confidentiality and sensitivity of data should always be taken into account

• In this instance, the data is neither confidential nor sensitive

• Public viewing (open to all) on hosted websites (YouTube & GoAnimate)

• Viewing might be problematic due to software required, bandwidth, site

blocking, internet access, limitations of mobile devices

• An example of such constraints: Flash plug-in required when viewing

GoAnimate clip. YouTube states that flash is required, yet many users view

YouTube clips without it

ANIMATION AS DATA PRODUCT (cont.)

DATA PUBLICATION:

• On hosting website of GoAnimate (animation software tool)

• YouTube: convenient sharing platform for workshop attendants

• To be uploaded to NeDICC website in due course

• D-space as repository to be investigated

DATA REUSE:

• Standard YouTube license

• Sharing encouraged

• No restrictions on reuse

• Constraints as per Data Access (see above)

4. LEARNING GAINED

• Digital video presents unique preservation issues

• Main aim of video-clip was not clip-creation as research data, but future reuse of the clip

and other similar clips (in the pipeline) is a real possibility

• DATA ACCESS: distinction: in-house access vs open access storage using the web

• OWNERSHIP/IP: determine beforehand. Also true when using when using host sites

and animation software

• METADATA: in this instance, information about formats, conversion and conversion

software will prove to be crucial

• FORMAT & SOFTWARE: obsolescence considerations, ease of access, and usability are

vital

• PRESERVATION: not yet finalised. Data archive, policy, DMP not yet

institutionalised

• SHARING: open data proved easiest. Standard YouTube license

recommended for training tools as well as datasets on hosted platform

• DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN: Important, and probably necessary in all

instances

• C.O.P: learning to be conveyed to NeDICC; learning was bigger than

anticipated

LEARNING GAINED (continued)

REFERENCES

• Curtin University. 2014. Research data management. [Online]. Available from:

http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/content.php?pid=314427&sid=2573510

• Dochev, D., Koprinska, I. & Pavlov, R. 2000. Multimedia Data management – Characteristics

and Requirements. [Online]. Available from: http://www.iit.bas.bg/pecr/49/29-42.pdf

• Kousha, K., Thelwall, M. & Abdoli, M. 2012. The role of online videos in research

communication: A content analysis of YouTube videos in academic publications. Journal of the

American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(9): 1710-1727

• Mendez, J.J. 2014. Why is cartoon animation the most popular marketing video style?

[Online]. Available from: http://go.yumyumvideos.com/blog/why-is-cartoon-animation-the-

most-popular-marketing-video-style