Partnerships as critical research infrastructure

The ÆKOS Experience

Anita SmythPartnerships, Licensing, CommunicationsEco-informatics FacilityTERN Symposium, 18 Feb 2013

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DatasetCompatibility

Eco-informatics Cyberinfrastructure

Data Extracted for Reuse

Data Store

ResearchEcologicalDatasets

(Many, Mbytes with localised

coverage)

Government agencyEcological Databases

(Few, state- and national-scaled)

Data Submission

User Access via Portal

Data Store

Yes

No

Navigating Data Partnerships in Government

• Operational Levels

• Middle Levels

• Executive Levels

• Operational Levels

• Middle Levels

• Executive Levels

DepartmentsExternal Service

Providers, Bureaus, CSIRO

External Service ProvidersDepartments

National Level

State Level

Eco-informatics& other TERN

Facilities

Challenge of Organisational Culture• Entrenched business processes• Bureaucratic ‘red tape’• Inexperience about data publication &

licensing• Wary of new ideas• Losing competitive advantage• Losing control• Perceived information misuse• Competing interests/self preservation• Diverse origins, values and cultures• Trust

Source: Yang & Maxwell (2011). Information-sharing in public organisations. Govt. Info Qtrly 28:164-175

Cultu

re

Infrastructure challenges

Source: Yang & Maxwell (2011). Information-sharing in public organsations. Govt. Info Qtrly 28:164-175

• Heterogeneous hardware, software and information systems

• Information security• IT outsourcing• IT capability

Reso

urce

Co

nstr

aint

s

Political/Policy Challenges

Yang & Maxwell (2011). Information-sharing in public organsations. Govt. Info Qtrly 28:164-175

• Legislations and Policies• Information as power and

authority• Partisan dynamics in government

agencies• Public scrutiny and performance

evaluation

Rigi

dity

Con

stra

ints

Influential Factors

• Acknowledgement of complementary objectives• ÆKOS can enhance agency business• Sponsorship from the executive of the agency• Partnership sustainability enabled by formal

arrangements and action planning• Well-defined process outlining the full spectrum

of the ÆKOS partnership management

Eco-informatics’ approachRepresentatives within government• Data Custodian Reference Group• ‘Terms of Reference’ Charter• Middle to Executive Level Partnerships

Partnership Agreements• Statement of Mutual Intent (SMI)• Collaborative Partners Agreement (CPA)• TERN’s Data Licensing Policy (http://tern.org.au/datalicence)

ÆKOS Data Partnership Management Plan• Principles - specific, short, agreed and timely engagement• Diverse channels of structured engagement • CRM tool “Apollo” to manage engagements

ÆKOS Data Publication Process with Government

Current Partnerships & Publication Progress

Benefits • Engenders open dialogue, transparency and trust• Savings through in-kind by governments in addition

to delivering data to ÆKOS • Governments have greater flexibility to enable reuse

of massive databases of ecological data via ÆKOS• Government remains the “point of truth” for data• Open source technology of ÆKOS available to

partners• Significant opportunity exists to deepen these

partnershipsLasker et al. (2001).Partnership synergy, Millbank Qrtly79,179-205Data partnerships are an integral part of

research cyberinfrastructure

Thank you

Facility Contact Details

Eco-informatics Coordinator - Craig Walker craig.walker@adelaide.edu.au

Eco-informatics Data Facilitator -Dr Anita Smyth anita.smyth@adelaide.edu.au

Eco-informatics Ecological SME - Dr David Turner d.turner@adelaide.edu.au

Eco-informatics ICT PM – Martin Pullan martin.pullan@adelaide.edu.au

Website www.aekos.org.au Data Portal www.portal.aekos.org.au