ruth kirkham – project manager john pybus – technical officer bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.uk

User Requirements User Requirements Gathering for the Gathering for the

Humanities:Humanities:How do we establish best practice How do we establish best practice

for the community?for the community?Ruth Kirkham – Project ManagerRuth Kirkham – Project Manager

John Pybus – Technical OfficerJohn Pybus – Technical Officerhttp://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.ukhttp://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.uk

DRHA – 3DRHA – 3rdrd- 6- 6thth September 2006 September 2006

Building a VRE for the Building a VRE for the HumanitiesHumanities

(very brief re-cap)(very brief re-cap) 15 month JISC project (started last 15 month JISC project (started last

summer)summer) Capturing user requirements from Capturing user requirements from

researchers across the division at Oxfordresearchers across the division at Oxford How do the Humanities differ from large How do the Humanities differ from large

scale Science? scale Science? No predefined technology (ground up No predefined technology (ground up

approach) approach) Build 3 to 4 prototypes/demonstratorsBuild 3 to 4 prototypes/demonstrators

User Requirements User Requirements WorkshopsWorkshops

AHRC funded series of research AHRC funded series of research workshopsworkshops

One held so farOne held so far

Two coming up in OctoberTwo coming up in October

Aims and ObjectivesAims and Objectives Emphasise the importance of Requirements Emphasise the importance of Requirements

Gathering for e-Research within the Gathering for e-Research within the Humanities computing communityHumanities computing community

Establish best practice for user Establish best practice for user requirements and ongoing user testing requirements and ongoing user testing within the communitywithin the community

Bring together individuals from the Bring together individuals from the Humanities, e-Science and established Humanities, e-Science and established Requirements Gathering CentresRequirements Gathering Centres

Create a Humanities-based user Create a Humanities-based user requirements communityrequirements community

Structure of WorkshopsStructure of Workshops

1.1. User Requirements in ICT projects User Requirements in ICT projects in the Humanitiesin the Humanities

Define and discuss current methods in the Define and discuss current methods in the Humanities.Humanities.

Inititate discussion around current issues and Inititate discussion around current issues and concernsconcerns

Think collectively about improving and Think collectively about improving and advancing their methodologiesadvancing their methodologies

2.2. Requirements gathering in eScienceRequirements gathering in eScience

3.3. Establishing a Guide to Best PracticeEstablishing a Guide to Best Practice

Structure of WorkshopsStructure of Workshops

1.1. User Requirements in ICT projects in the User Requirements in ICT projects in the HumanitiesHumanities

2.2. Requirements gathering in eScienceRequirements gathering in eScience In conjunction with Oxford Centre for In conjunction with Oxford Centre for

Requirements & Foundations at OUCLRequirements & Foundations at OUCL Build on outcomes of first workshopBuild on outcomes of first workshop Introduction to methods from eScienceIntroduction to methods from eScience Discussion of similarities and differences between Discussion of similarities and differences between

practices in Science and Humanities computingpractices in Science and Humanities computing Consider a methodology devoted to the Consider a methodology devoted to the

HumanitiesHumanities

3.3. Establishing a Guide to Best PracticeEstablishing a Guide to Best Practice

Structure of WorkshopsStructure of Workshops

1.1. User Requirements in ICT projects in User Requirements in ICT projects in the Humanitiesthe Humanities

2.2. Requirements gathering in eScienceRequirements gathering in eScience

3.3. Establishing a Guide to Best PracticeEstablishing a Guide to Best Practice Define focus of future User Requirements captureDefine focus of future User Requirements capture Produce first draft of a Guide to Best PracticeProduce first draft of a Guide to Best Practice Consider how we might embed this work in the Consider how we might embed this work in the

communitycommunity

Gathering RequirementsGathering Requirements

Technology push or pull?Technology push or pull? Where does it all begin? A project has Where does it all begin? A project has

to come from somewhere. to come from somewhere. Research questionResearch question InstitutionInstitution Funding bodyFunding body

Who are your users?Who are your users?

Gathering RequirementsGathering Requirements

Why bother?Why bother? Know not just who your users are, but;Know not just who your users are, but;

What they do, or want to doWhat they do, or want to do How they go about doing itHow they go about doing it Even where they workEven where they work

Might turn out that there is no Might turn out that there is no requirement for a tool – and that’s good requirement for a tool – and that’s good to know early.to know early.

Our requirements Our requirements gatheringgathering process process

Unstructured and semi-structured interviews, Unstructured and semi-structured interviews, researchers were asked about:researchers were asked about: Current IT usage Current IT usage Collaboration specifically using IT Collaboration specifically using IT Local and external tools/processes used to carry out Local and external tools/processes used to carry out

research research Interaction with all aspects of grant applications Interaction with all aspects of grant applications

such as seeking funding, interaction with  Research such as seeking funding, interaction with  Research Services etc Services etc

No specific questionnaires, informal meetings No specific questionnaires, informal meetings allowed our researchers to speak freely allowed our researchers to speak freely

Focus GroupsFocus Groups Wherever possible the interviews were Wherever possible the interviews were

recordedrecorded

CommentsComments

““Often as people are carrying out their Often as people are carrying out their research it is difficult to take a step back research it is difficult to take a step back and fully to realise all of the tasks, tools and fully to realise all of the tasks, tools and methods which they employ on a and methods which they employ on a daily basis.”daily basis.”

““Capturing practise and processes would Capturing practise and processes would give a useful basis for both reflection and give a useful basis for both reflection and analysis for individuals and for those analysis for individuals and for those building IT tools and services to support building IT tools and services to support their work.”their work.”

Requirements in e-Requirements in e-ScienceScience

eScience/eSocialScienceeScience/eSocialScience Extensive programme of workExtensive programme of work Often very large scale computing and dataOften very large scale computing and data

Effective user requirements capture an Effective user requirements capture an important part of thisimportant part of this

Need to learn the lessons of this as we Need to learn the lessons of this as we consider the transfer of e-Science consider the transfer of e-Science technologies to the Humanitiestechnologies to the Humanities

“we must take advantage of technologies, but not slavishly follow the methods and cultures of the

sciences”

Use in the HumanitiesUse in the Humanities

Which methodologies would be Which methodologies would be useful to adopt (from euseful to adopt (from e Science?) and Science?) and which might we (AH computing which might we (AH computing community) create ourselves?community) create ourselves?

Two way process:Two way process: Arts and Humanities can contribute Arts and Humanities can contribute

back to eback to e Science as it moves towards e-Science as it moves towards e-ResearchResearch

e-Science Adopterse-Science Adopters

Scholars working with IT specialists Scholars working with IT specialists inevitably become more aware of inevitably become more aware of opportunitiesopportunities

As their peers take an interestAs their peers take an interest ““that’s amazing, how do you do that?”that’s amazing, how do you do that?” ““How could we use that in our work?”How could we use that in our work?” ““what on earth’s the point?”what on earth’s the point?”

Getting a balanceGetting a balance

How do we make people aware of How do we make people aware of technological potential – what doors technological potential – what doors are opening – without forcing are opening – without forcing particular practices on them?particular practices on them?

Researchers will evaluate for Researchers will evaluate for themselves whether they believe a themselves whether they believe a particular tool will support, or particular tool will support, or enhance their researchenhance their research

Getting a balanceGetting a balance

Bridging the gap between developers Bridging the gap between developers and researchersand researchers

BVREH project experience:BVREH project experience: Developer part of user requirements surveyDeveloper part of user requirements survey Actively speaking to researchersActively speaking to researchers

Two way process:Two way process: Arts and Humanities can contribute back to Arts and Humanities can contribute back to

ee Science as it moves towards e-ResearchScience as it moves towards e-Research

“ “It is vital that as new systems are It is vital that as new systems are introduced it is done in a way that introduced it is done in a way that truly enhances the working practices truly enhances the working practices of the individual researcher. This is of the individual researcher. This is only possible if those involved in only possible if those involved in creating these technologies have a full creating these technologies have a full understanding of how research is understanding of how research is currently undertaken and how new currently undertaken and how new developments will be incorporated.”developments will be incorporated.”

What can we do?What can we do?

Budgeting user requirements into Budgeting user requirements into project planproject plan Awareness in institutions and funding Awareness in institutions and funding

bodiesbodies

Encourage good communication Encourage good communication between users and technologistsbetween users and technologists

Workshops: Next stepsWorkshops: Next steps

This is still work in progress!This is still work in progress! report of first workshops in preparationreport of first workshops in preparation remaining workshops next monthremaining workshops next month

Bring together community in which Bring together community in which the methodologies for requirements the methodologies for requirements gathering will grow and evolvegathering will grow and evolve

Identifying current issues and gapsIdentifying current issues and gaps

Workshops: Next stepsWorkshops: Next steps

We are keen for feedbackWe are keen for feedback and wider participation in the workshopsand wider participation in the workshops

Final Thought:Final Thought:

““Faster, better, but not Faster, better, but not different”different”

Two out of three – perhaps fast Two out of three – perhaps fast & better is different& better is different

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Principle Investigators:Principle Investigators:Professor Alan Bowman and Dr Charles CrowtherProfessor Alan Bowman and Dr Charles Crowther

Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, OxfordOxford

Dr Michael FraserDr Michael FraserOxford University Computing ServicesOxford University Computing Services

Also:Also:Marina Jirotka – Marina Jirotka – Centre for Requirements and Centre for Requirements and

Foundations, Oxford University Computing Foundations, Oxford University Computing LaboratoryLaboratory

Feedback/QuestionsFeedback/Questions

Any questions?Any questions?

ruth.kirkham@humanities.ox.ac.ukruth.kirkham@humanities.ox.ac.uk

john.pybus@humanities.ox.ac.ukjohn.pybus@humanities.ox.ac.uk

http://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.uk/http://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.uk/