Strategy to document and disseminate longitudinal surveys: case study of using DDI-Lifecycle and Colectica

Résumé En

With the Open Science movement, the patterns of data sharing are evolving. In this context, the French Center for socio-political data (CDSP) undertook an experimental project - UpMet (Upscaling metadata for increasing reuse in the social sciences) - that aimed to build a question bank using DDI-Lifecycle and Colectica - Designer, Repository and Portal. Aside from compliance with the CESSDA repositories standards, so that data and metadata may be harvested in the European Question Bank, this new tool was implemented for two additional purposes. On the one hand, to make data more discoverable and findable at the variable level. On the other hand, to pave the way for a time-efficient internal documentation protocol relying on a metadata model at the variable level – a reference document where data managers may find data organization paradigms. Firstly, we’ll outline the main implementation steps of DDI-Lifecycle using the Colectica software packages, including challenges met to build the question bank. Then, we’ll demonstrate the benefits in terms of data discoverability and reusability from users’ perspective. After reviewing internal and external outcomes, we aim to discuss opportunities of implementing Colectica in the overall ecosystem of research data dissemination at the CDSP. More broadly, the presentation will share feedback about the entry cost of upgrading data documentation standards (from DDI-Codebook to DDI-Lifecycle), as well as the process of enhancing metadata documentation quality, especially harmonization of items and work on variable-level granularity.