Research4Development Challenges in Managing and Sharing Information June 10 th 2008 EADI, Copenhagen Martin Parr (CIMRC & CABI)

DFID spent £86 million on Research in 2005, spent upwards of £136 million in 2007, and £220 million by 2010

History 2002 – CIMRC Partnership set up with CABI as lead partner to deliver Communication and Information Management support to DFID CRD 2004 – DFID’s Research Strategy Framework 2004-5 - Specification & Development of R4D 2006 – Launch R4D – basic structure 2008 – Re-launch with added communication tools

2002 – CIMRC Partnership set up with CABI as lead partner to deliver Communication and Information Management support to DFID CRD

2004 – DFID’s Research Strategy Framework

2004-5 - Specification & Development of R4D

2006 – Launch R4D – basic structure

2008 – Re-launch with added communication tools

CABI + Partners = CIMRC Communications and Information Management Resource Centre (CIMRC) CABI, EUFORIC, CommsConsult What we do Communication expertise Support DFID’s Central Research Department’s Communication Team Information Management – Research for Development

Communications and Information Management Resource Centre (CIMRC)

CABI, EUFORIC, CommsConsult

What we do

Communication expertise

Support DFID’s Central Research Department’s Communication Team

Information Management – Research for Development

How is DFID’s Research funding spent? In what sectors? In what countries? How is research programme contributing to the reduction of poverty, the uptake of new technology and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals? How should research funding be directed in future?

In what sectors?

In what countries?

How is research programme contributing to the reduction of poverty, the uptake of new technology and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals?

How should research funding be directed in future?

Research for Development – First Phase, 2005-2007 1) Brought the research information together in an archive database of: project management information research outputs / publications 2) Improved access to existing websites / systems 3) Started to improve exchange of information with communication partners

1) Brought the research information together in an

archive database of:

project management information

research outputs / publications

2) Improved access to existing websites / systems

3) Started to improve exchange of information with communication partners

R4D helps researchers and policy makers answer questions about DFID research

R4D Vision ‘ a service, not a site’

‘ a service, not a site’

UK + others. BBC,Wren FAO,Shared ODAMOZ Codesria etc. EADI, ERAs Communication affiliates R4D information Project outputs Project records R4D website RSS Email IDS,APC,DevGateway Research networks Radio,TV,Print Research partners Project partners Internet Development partners Initiatives Policy Practice News Case studies How it works Developing an Outward-facing service Blogs R4DTV

User-focused collections - Themed Collections R4D based on a collection indexed for users rather than just using a thesaurus; repurpose information around themed collections

R4D based on a collection indexed for users rather than just using a thesaurus; repurpose information around themed collections

User-focused collections - Document type and user Classify content according to type and likely user group, e.g. Policy Papers, Handbooks, etc. Allow users to filter the content

Classify content according to type and likely user group, e.g. Policy Papers, Handbooks, etc. Allow users to filter the content

Make all serially produced content available as RSS Build feeds to support users. Link these to promotion at and through events

Build feeds to support users. Link these to promotion at and through events

Have a communication function built on top of the repository Add News and Blog content to put the service in context and encourage feedback

Add News and Blog content to put the service in context and encourage feedback

Video and podcasts? Use new media to enliven debate

Use new media to enliven debate

Do community users know what we are doing?! Place information where the users are – includes ensuring content is indexed in the relevant service – e.g. GFIS

Place information where the users are – includes ensuring content is indexed in the relevant service – e.g. GFIS

Free up your data Through: Using release of Sitemaps to boost visibility in search engines, especially Google. Don’t forget Google News, blog searches, etc. Use data standards that allow for and promote re-use of data. RSS, Xml, OAI-PMH

Through:

Using release of Sitemaps to boost visibility in search engines, especially Google. Don’t forget Google News, blog searches, etc.

Use data standards that allow for and promote re-use of data. RSS, Xml, OAI-PMH

Free up your data Have R4D information accessed via other development websites: providing a research information service that increasingly fits with and links to similar portals such as GFIS, effectively supplying a joined-up service to users How? – use of RSS feeds, promoting their uptake by individuals & other sites, links to canned searches and OAI material. Site and feeds should provide targeted e-alerts Promotion of tools through associated Marketing & Communications activities – including promotion at/through events

Have R4D information accessed via other development websites: providing a research information service that increasingly fits with and links to similar portals such as GFIS, effectively supplying a joined-up service to users

How? – use of RSS feeds, promoting their uptake by individuals & other sites, links to canned searches and OAI material.

Site and feeds should provide targeted e-alerts

Promotion of tools through associated Marketing & Communications activities – including promotion at/through events

Summary: Delivering the Service R4D based on a collection indexed for users rather than just using a thesaurus; repurpose information around themed collections Classify content according to type and likely user group, e.g. Policy Papers, Handbooks, etc. Build feeds to support users. Link these to promotion at and through events Add News and Blog content to put the service in context and encourage feedback Use new media to enliven debate Place information where the users are – includes ensuring content is indexed in the relevant service In General - Free up the data – use the right formats and approaches – use of Google News, Maps, OAI, Sitemaps for improved searching

R4D based on a collection indexed for users rather than just using a thesaurus; repurpose information around themed collections

Classify content according to type and likely user group, e.g. Policy Papers, Handbooks, etc.

Build feeds to support users. Link these to promotion at and through events

Add News and Blog content to put the service in context and encourage feedback

Use new media to enliven debate

Place information where the users are – includes ensuring content is indexed in the relevant service

In General - Free up the data – use the right formats and approaches – use of Google News, Maps, OAI, Sitemaps for improved searching

Approach Consider service aspects of. Principle: a service not a site Move from Platform to People Working to ‘free up data’ – use a less technical approach, more engagement Targeted information Widen the audience to your data Working with donors and partners – developing/promoting syntheses Be responsive , have a flexible approach to delivering the message, innovating new products and approaches. Use communication, and Workshops to: Move data from platform to user community But…aim to keep a comprehensive collection – don’t lose sight of key requirement to provide a source for all relevant research outputs

Consider service aspects of. Principle:

a service not a site

Move from Platform to People

Working to ‘free up data’ – use a less technical approach, more engagement

Targeted information

Widen the audience to your data

Working with donors and partners – developing/promoting syntheses

Be responsive , have a flexible approach to delivering the message, innovating new products and approaches.

Use communication, and Workshops to:

Move data from platform to user community

But…aim to keep a comprehensive collection – don’t lose sight of key requirement to provide a source for all relevant research outputs

www.Research4development.info Martin Parr (m.parr@cabi.org)

Martin Parr (m.parr@cabi.org)