Data Help Desk Website

A dedicated website serves as a central online presence for the data help desk. It acts as a primary access point for users seeking assistance and information. A comprehensive collection of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their answers is a valuable resource for a data help desk website. Providing online tutorials and training resources is a key function of a data help desk, complementing direct question answering.

  1. Data help desk website components
    • Information about the Data Help Desk: Its definition, purpose (e.g., helping researchers make data and software open and FAIR), and what it aims to accomplish.
    • How to participate: Clear instructions on how users can ask questions (e.g., via Twitter using a specific hashtag like #DataHelpDesk or through a survey form).
    • Sponsor and organizer acknowledgments: Listing the key contributing organizations like ESIP, the meeting host, and EarthCube, as well as other supporters and volunteer experts.
    • Links to the gallery of contributed resources: Providing access to demos, tutorials, and one-pagers, often hosted on platforms like YouTube and the ESIP Figshare Repository. A short URL (e.g., http://bit.ly/DataHelpAGU20) can be used for easier access.
    • Information for potential volunteers: Including volunteer guidelines, forms, and details on how they can contribute.
    • Contact information for further inquiries.
    • The website can host a gallery of recorded demos, tutorials, and one-pagers.
    • The website might include information on any workshops or side events associated with the Data Help Desk.
    • Consideration should be given to obtaining a short and memorable link (e.g., a bit.ly link) for the website to facilitate sharing.
    • The website manager is a key role in maintaining and updating this crucial resource.
  2. FAQs address questions about
    • The need for a data help desk and why instructions for setting one up are necessary.
    • The definition and goals of a data help desk.
    • Practical aspects of setting up a help desk are staffing, assumed knowledge levels, provider and user roles, time commitment, and cost.
    • The types of questions users and providers might have. Common user questions include where to find or deposit data, data management plans, FAIR principles, and data citation.
    • Materials needed to set up a help desk.
    • How the success of a help desk is determined.
    • The purpose of topics like data management and FAIR.
    • The FAQs can evolve based on the common researcher questions observed at past Data Help Desks.
    • Creating a starter set of question topics, specific questions, and answers is recommended to inform help desk volunteers.
    • The FAQs can also include information on general data topics the help desk can provide assistance with, such as General Data Management, Metadata, Data Repositories, and Data Management Plans.
    • A well-maintained knowledge base, potentially expanding beyond simple FAQs, can offer more detailed explanations, links to resources, and troubleshooting guides for various data-related challenges.
  3. Online tutorials and training resources
    • Recorded demos and tutorials: Short video recordings highlighting tools and resources for managing data and enhancing research, often hosted on platforms like YouTube. A playlist of open science and data help desk YouTube videos is an example.
    • One-pagers: Concise documents providing information on specific topics, often shared via repositories like the ESIP Figshare Repository.
    • Links to external training resources: The ESIP-hosted Data Management Training Clearinghouse is a valuable resource to help users find training materials. Links to other organizations like DataONE, The Carpentries, and CUAHSI’s training materials can also be provided.
    • Guided tutorials and interactive exercises: These can be valuable additions to help users actively learn data management skills.
    • The content should address topics of interest to users, including ways to manage data and why it’s important.
    • Resources should cater to various knowledge levels, recognizing that many researchers have little or no formal training in research data management. Providing basic handouts on data management is recommended.
    • The gallery of resources should be designed and presented effectively to ensure users can easily find relevant materials. Tailoring resources to specific event themes or audiences is beneficial.
    • Soliciting asynchronous content like recorded demos and tutorials prior to the conference is valuable, as these can be accessed anytime and have a longer lifespan.
    • Consider offering resources on common data or software challenges.
    • It’s important to keep the resources up-to-date and communicate with contributors about their relevance.
    • Thinking about new ways of conveying content, such as short videos, wikis, or GitHub repositories with documentation, can cater to the preferences of users who are often open to new approaches.