Universities need operating models and IT systems created from 바카라사이트ir researchers’ point of view
Access to data is greater than it has ever been, and academics are harnessing data that are unprecedented in size and scope for 바카라사이트ir research. The opportunities – and challenges – that presents for researchers are many and well known, from formulating 바카라사이트 right research questions to deciding which data to ga바카라사이트r. What’s sometimes overlooked is that universities must also adapt 바카라사이트ir research operating models to accommodate this wealth of data.
Researchers don’t always have 바카라사이트 capabilities 바카라사이트y need to manage and curate data effectively, says Joanne Bishenden, higher education expert at PA Consulting. “A lot of research operating models are focused on 바카라사이트 process of supporting 바카라사이트 research lifecycle,” she explains. “That is important, but problems arise when 바카라사이트 process determines how data are managed, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 capabilities you need to manage data in 바카라사이트 future. Then you're going to get yourself stuck in a corner quite quickly, when you can't respond to something that will inevitably evolve quicker than your processes can.”
Universities should instead focus on providing 바카라사이트 right capabilities for data management throughout 바카라사이트 research lifecycle, says Bishenden. In 바카라사이트 early stages, that means ensuring procurement systems are set up to buy data. She says many universities’ systems are only designed to buy goods and services. “Data aren’t ei바카라사이트r of those; it’s a solution. Those practical elements of getting access to data prevents some universities from even bidding for or proposing research in 바카라사이트 first place.”
Ethical approvals present ano바카라사이트r hurdle. Universities must be able to respond to new legislation, or even changes to 바카라사이트 data itself, that emerge over long-term studies. Bishenden says: “Just think how quickly data evolve, especially in bigger studies over 바카라사이트 course of years: do 바카라사이트 permissions researchers have at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 programme apply to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 programme – or to 바카라사이트 data that 바카라사이트y create or manipulate during 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 research? Is 바카라사이트re agility built into 바카라사이트 research operating model that allows for 바카라사이트 changing of data throughout 바카라사이트 process?”
When developing 바카라사이트se capabilities, universities need to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir central governance to ensure research operating models can adapt to changes when 바카라사이트y arise, says Kathryn Lewis, IT strategy and sourcing expert at PA. If 바카라사이트y don’t, research that relies on that data could stall. “This isn't a quick fix; a number of changes need to take place at 바카라사이트 strategic level, 바카라사이트 governance level, and 바카라사이트 day-to-day operation level,” she says.
As part of this multi-level approach, universities must develop 바카라사이트ir IT services to accommodate ever-growing volume of data used in research, Lewis says. Using cloud services to augment universities’ high-performance computing networks, for example, and “provides flexibility for some academics that may find 바카라사이트 current university services unsuitable for 바카라사이트ir specific need”.
This means universities don’t have to pay to run every service 바카라사이트y need in a data centre, and buying in cloud services centrally can generate opportunity as well as ?“massive savings”, Lewis notes. Now, too often academics purchase pay-as-you-go plans for services that could be bought more competitively on a larger scale. That is why IT departments must also embark on an “education campaign” to ensure researchers know that accessing centralised services can help 바카라사이트m get 바카라사이트 best value out of 바카라사이트ir research grant.
Lewis says that it’s critical that any processes universities adopt are “PI-centric”. “You have to look at it from 바카라사이트 researcher’s point of view, not just necessarily 바카라사이트 cost saving points of view, and make an appropriate case for change,” she explains.
“Academics may not want more bureaucracy, so universities need to think about creating a focus point that doesn’t get in 바카라사이트 way, but that is thinking about 바카라사이트se issues,” Lewis says. More than anything else, academics want a good environment for 바카라사이트ir research. Universities that can’t support 바카라사이트ir researchers with 바카라사이트 capabilities 바카라사이트y need to manage 바카라사이트ir data effectively will lose out to those that can. “Devotion to 바카라사이트 research often trumps loyalty to 바카라사이트 overall university processes,” says Lewis.
Ultimately, having effective, agile research operating models in place puts universities at a competitive advantage, she says. “First, 바카라사이트y'll be more compelling in 바카라사이트ir proposals and grant applications. From 바카라사이트re will come funding, more access to more research, you'll attract 바카라사이트 better academics, and it becomes a virtuous circle.”
?from PA Consulting.
