This document provides an overview of how working groups and interest groups function within the Research Data Alliance (RDA). It explains that interest groups focus on a common interest defined in a short charter, while working groups have a more concrete problem, short timeframe, and expected output. It describes how to join, start, and adopt outcomes of groups. Current groups are also listed. The document uses a taxonomy to classify groups by discipline, function, and technical vs. non-technical focus. Informal relations between some current groups are noted.

1. How do Working and Interest Groups
work?

2. 2
 Introduction
 Working and Interest Groups
 Joining
 Adoption
 Starting
 Current
 Taxonomy
 Relations
Overview

3. 3
 Why?
 Make Research work better
 Mission
 The Research Data Alliance (RDA) builds the social and
technical bridges that enable open sharing of data
 Vision
 We see researchers and innovators openly sharing data
across technologies, disciplines, and countries to
address the grand challenges of society
Introduction

4. 4
 What is an Interest Group?
 Group around a common Interest
 Interest defined in a short charter
 Lightweight, many degrees of freedom
 What is a Working Group?
 Concrete problem
 Short timeframe (~18 months)
 Concrete Output (data exchange)
 Clear Adoption
Working and Interest groups

5. 5
 Be registered on the website
 Subscribe to the group
 Get active in the discussion / produce the work
 Good idea: talk to existing members
 At Plenaries
 At other meetings
 Using email
Joining

6. 6
 Key Issue
 Expected of WGs
 Please adopt relevant outcomes
Adoption

7. 7
 ( BoF Session at Plenary )
 Write a Charter
 + Chairs
 + Initial membership
 Approval by TAB/Council
Starting an Interest Group

8. 8
 ( BoF Session at Plenary / From Interest Group )
 Write a Case Statement
 Charter
 Value
 Engagement with existing work
 Work Plan
 Adoption Plan
 Initial Membership
 One month community review
 Review by TAB
 Council determines if there is consensus
 For more detail: https://www.rd-alliance.org/case-
statements.html
Starting a Working Group

9. 9
 Working Groups and Interest Groups
 16 and 31
 Too many to name them all
 Some WGs that will deliver by end of year:
 PID Information Types WG
 Data Type Registries
 Metadata Standards Directory WG
 Data Foundation and Terminology
 Practical Policy
 Data Categories and Codes
Current Groups

10. 10
WG/IG Taxonomy by Peter Wittenburg
3/25/2014
Cross-Discipline
Technical
Non-Technical
Discipline specific

11. 11
WG/IG Taxonomy by Peter Wittenburg
Functional Layers Access Functional Layers Management
Find/Reference Find/Reference
Ref-Resolution Ref-Resolution
Access Access
interpret Manage
re-use/process Curate
Archive
Federate

12. 12
Cross-
Disciplinary
Groups
Technical Metadata
W
G
Metadata Standards
Directory
A/D/E
DDRI A
IG
Research Data Provenance A/D/E
Data in Context A/D/E
Metadata A/D/E
Example of Pewi Taxonomy
A Find/Reference
D Interpret
E Re-use / Process

13. 13
 Informal relations
 WG Collaboration Group
 Data Foundation Terminology
 PID Information Types
 Metadata
 Practical Policy
 Data Type Registries
 No Formal (technical) relations
Relations between groups
3/25/2014

14. 14
Thank You