Node: ELIXIR Netherlands
Authors: Mijke Jetten, data stewardship liaison and deputy training coordinator
Topics: Gaps to action, Existing work
Use a rough first version to start the conversation. It does not need to be complete. Its main value is to make ideas concrete enough for others to react, correct and build on.
One thing we noticed quickly was that everyone in the Node already had ideas about coordination, support and data management, but most of these ideas stayed in conversations. We talked about visibility, training, tools and governance, but it was difficult to move from general discussions to concrete next steps.
To make the discussion more practical, we started writing down rough ideas for a possible ELIXIR Netherlands data management strategy. We used the new ELIXIR Netherlands strategy as a starting point and added notes around data stewardship, training, technical coordination and support for researchers. The document was messy and incomplete, but that actually helped. It gave us something concrete to react to.
We then used the draft during discussions with the Head of Node and a data expert from one of our institutions. One thing that became clear very quickly was that many activities already existed somewhere in the network, but responsibilities and connections between activities were not always visible. Starting with a lightweight draft helped turn broad discussions into more practical conversations about priorities, coordination and where ELIXIR Netherlands could realistically help.