DRAFT

Summary of Recommended Functionalities and Other System Attributes for DRIADE

(this is work-in-progress)

Recommended Functionalities: / Examples
1. Support the inclusion of heterogeneous data sets. / KNB Metacat “utilizes XML as a common syntax for representing the large number of metadata content standards that are relevant to ecology.”
Many repositories convert text docs to searchable, standard PDF/A format as part of ingest.
2. Support data-stewardship / Use persistent IDs
Clearly defined and openly accessible preservation strategy
3. Support data deposition by people with minimal expertise. / For example, a research may ask a research assistant or office assistant to upload their data, and the system should accommodate input -- at least for a minimal set of metadata about the data from someone who may not know all the specific details.
4. Appropriately record and track rights of researchers. / ICPSR employs a deposit agreement with its contributors, specifying certain access controls, preservation assurances, etc., which also serves as a convenient opportunity to collect metadata.
KNB has a phrase that says, "XXXXX" and appears with each metadata record representing a data set. XXX has XXX, and so forth
5. Link to journal publications and databases / ICPSR project website contains a search/browse function called “Bibliography of Data-Related Literature” that matches the data being viewed with associated publications.
6. Allow for automatic generation of metadata that can be accurately captured. / (For example, the date the data is contributed to the repository and the file format for the data.)
7. Allow for data submission via various web browsersand via e-mail / Cross-browser compatibility is a key usability factor for web software; e-mail attachments may be the only way to acquire certain data.
8. Allow for single sign-on authentication, minimum repeated data entry, etc.
9. Provide multiple assist features for data submission / Tutorial, reference manual, contextual help, FAQ, listserv, etc.
10. Support the use of controlled vocabulary and other classificatory systems to bring together related data sets in the discovery process. / KNB uses a rough classification, with topics such as XX, XX, and XX. A data contributor can pick a concept/s from to essentially “tag” the topical area of the data set.
11. Provide potent search capabilities
12. Provide multi-lingual user access support
13. Record history of data input, use, re-use, life cycle.
14. Include full range of web services. / SOAP and REST-based APIs
15. Provide workflow-based access routines / SEEK’s Kepler workflow system
Other System Attributes:
a. Appropriately handle scientific names.
b. system/project need a self-sustaining economic model / ICPSR, in operation since 1962, employs a balanced approach to sustaining itself: subscriptions, user fees, and federaland private funding.
GBIF’s model includes financial contributions from its voting participants on a sliding-scale basis, plus supplementary financial contributions for projects and other funds from foundations, agencies, research councils, private companies, etc.
c. Separate instances of database in order to provide better performance / See GBIF model