grant funding programme
TRANSCRIPT
Grant Funding Programme
Research Data Network Workshop
May18th 2016
Charlie Dormer, User Researcher
Grants Programme Progress
• Introduction to the Grants Funding Programme, our progress to date and our approach
• What does the new service look like – a VERY early look
• Outcomes from JISC interoperability with the new service workshop (last week)
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• Build the foundation for what grant funding could/should be like in 5 years’ time (35-45% of the way towards the vision)
• Build digital capability in the Research Councils and across BIS (skills transfer) • Replace the current grants management system with a cost effective, flexible,
and inter-operable platform• Allow RCs to spend less time in grant management through the use of digital
solutions to improve efficiency• Create an improved experience for staff, applicants, peer reviewers and panel
members• Reduce the costs of giving out grants to contribute to Research Council’s
overall operational cost reduction targets• Ensure that we have the data and MI to make smart decisions for the future.
Create digital services that support the entire grant funding process, from idea generation to impact
reporting, that enables the best possible funding of research excellence
We have until March 2017 to develop a basic product
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Agile approach means gradual introduction of the new service
“An agile project is about creating fast iterations of products based on the feedback of real users. It means regularly releasing small pieces of functionality; constant communication between team members, and using equipment that displays progress being made by your team”
Government Digital Service - Service Manual
For us this means - Simple functionality first – March 2017 will be “stripped down” version - Development continues through a period of joint running of Je-S and new
service (expected to be around a year) - Even after new service becomes the only service, continued addition of new
functionality - Bear this in mind when I talk about interoperability!
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Everything we do is predicated round detailed and extensive USER RESEARCH
This enables us to move to effective SERVICE DESIGN
Through this we are developing and testing iterative PROTOTYPES
Applying for a grant
Current system (Je-S)
Setting up and managing an opportunity
Current system (Siebel)
Prototype
Development work has only started in the last month so no coded stories but…
Interoperability
User Research has shown a strong desire to reduce re-keying and duplication of data between Research Organisation and Research Council systems (and between Research Council systems and Research Council systems!)
New system – opportunity to build interoperability in the new service – the benefit of building something new
Workshop last Wednesday with 50 Research Office administrators and managers, providers of current systems, and members of the BIS Grants Funding Team
Interoperability workshop – initial outcomes
Research costings
Offer letterPeople and organisational data
Student data
Spend reporting
Outcome reporting
Equipment data
Use unique identifiers for equipment data in application rather than put all the equipment info in
Build on current work on ORCID (soon to be in Je-S) and investigation into ISNO
APIs between most common costing tools and grants service - .csv file upload for others
Output data should be “applied for” and “awarded” amounts, then API back into common costing tools or .csv
API or .csv upload into FES – challenge is investigators’ directly allocated budget. Facilitated by single grant, multiple recipents model?
Data exchange with HESA, SITS systems
Two way interface with Researchfish
Interoperability workshop – initial outcomes
Research costings
Offer letterPeople and organisational data
Student data
Spend reporting
Outcome reporting
Equipment data
Some of this is easier to implementSome of this is rather more ambitious!Workshop addressed opportunities and barriers as well as opportunities.Recurrent potential barriers:• Diversity of RO systems BUT almost half at workshop use the same costing tool –
a few big players and a tail• Incomplete take up of ORCID etc/incomplete implementation of standards• Time taken to implement new systems• Accuracy, security and confidentiality
How to get involved
Extensive programme of User Research:• Interviews• Focus Groups• Ethnography/observation• Testing – remote• Testing – face to face
• Are you interested in taking part? Could you nominate research office staff/applicants/peer and panel reviewers who would be?
• Any further questions?