JISC Information Environment Portal Activity: supporting the Needs of e-Research.

Rob Allan

Abstract

I will present the findings of survey work and interviews carried out by myself, Prof. Rob Crouchley (Lancaster) and Dr. Caroling Ingram (CSI Consultancy) commissioned by the JISC. Our aim is to evaluate what researchers across a wide range of disciplines need from an activity such as the JISC Information Environment and how they access it, typically via Web-based portals. Our principal findings to date are:

1. Data as well as information (publications) must be discoverable, usable and cross-linked;
2. There is a need to publish data and information from private (perhaps shared in a research group) into public repositories;
3. Information and data must be made available in institutional, subject and project-based portals and other tools;
4. there is a need for enhanced training and awareness.