Project Brief
Approvals
| Name | Project Role | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Weir | Project Sponsor | |
| Robin Rice | Service Owner | |
| Claire Knowles | Product Owner | |
| David Fergusson | Senior Supplier | |
| Kirsty Lingstadt | Senior Supplier | |
| Fraser Muir | Senior User | |
| Anthony Davie | Senior User | |
| Colin Higgs | Senior User | |
| Lawrence Stevenson | Project Manager | |
| Maurice Franceschi | Programme Manager |
Overview
Background
The DataVault is a service component identified in the 2012 Research Data Management Roadmap as being required to assist University of Edinburgh researchers to comply with funder requirements for long-term retention of their research data. The Jisc-funded Data Vault project led by L&UC with the University of Manchester in 2015-16 developed generic software designed to collect basic metadata and deposit a set of research data into a back-end service. Meanwhile ITI Research Services had done initial work on defining the architecture that would be needed to provide the back-end of the service.
Because of the demand raised for the DataVault and the delay in a customised, UoE-focused service being ready, an interim service was rolled out in 2016. The interim service makes use of the Storage Manager tool used to manage spaces on DataStore for the front-end, and temporary space allocated on DataStore as the back-end. A Pure dataset record, with an option to mint a DOI, is required for every Vault created.
This project seeks to 1) enhance the interim service and make it ‘self-serve’ to users, and 2) to define the requirements, policy, and infrastructure of the full service, with a view to launching the full service at the end of the project date, as a component of the Research Data Service. (More development work will be likely to be required after the launch date as well.)
Scope
Documentation, software, hardware, and staff resource are all required to build the DataVault service component. The project will make use of previous user consultations to design the service component. All major service decisions will be ratified by the RDM/RDS Steering Group.
The DataVault is designed for compliance with Data Management Plans and funder requirements by researchers (academic staff and students who are delegated by academic staff).
A University-accessible metadata record is required for every archive (‘vault’). One vault may contain several deposits but should be a coherent set, e.g. related to a single research project. It is envisaged that an API ingest mechanism will exist to aid voluminous deposits within a single vault.
A chain of custody will be established to ensure that once data are ‘vaulted’ the University retains control of decision-making about access and retention in the absence of the original data owner.
Changes to Scope will be logged on the PICCL and also recorded on the Project Scope Change page.
Out of Scope
- Long-term storage of non-University-business data (e.g. personal photo or music collections)
- Long-term storage of data for students in their own capacity
- Long-term storage of personal or sensitive data (this needs to be addressed as follow-on to Data Safe Haven and DataVault projects).
- Automatic interoperation with DataShare
Objectives and Deliverables
What are we aiming to ultimately deliver that will be key to the measure of the success of this project - but potentially any significant other things along the way (that may outlive the project).
Ideally we set these as MoSCoW:
MUST - we would see the project as failing totally or partially if these are not achieved
SHOULD - we have a high expectation that these will be doable with planned work and budget - but if necessary
these can be descoped
COULD - if all goes very well, these might be possible
WON'T - we want to be explict about certain things that people might expect us to deliver but we want to be clear we won't deliver
Key Milestones for this deliverable- if known, any hard dates and highly desirable dates
This table can be used through Business and Technical Analysis, Design, Build, and Testing/UAT as a Traceability Matrix to ensure the project brief project objectives and deliverables are followed through.
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Interim solution with reduced self-service facility. |
Description of the Deliverables needed to achieve the objective |
MoSCoW |
Key Milestones |
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Deliverable D1.1 |
Agreed plan. |
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Deliverable D1.2 |
Updated software |
Must |
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Deliverable D1.3 |
User Documentation |
Must |
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Deliverable D1.4 |
Service description |
Must |
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Deliverable D1.5 |
Ready for go-live sign off. |
Must |
Yes |
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Deliverable D1.6 |
Go live completed |
Must |
Yes |
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Full solution with self-service functionality. |
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Deliverable D2.1 |
Agreed plan. |
Must |
Yes |
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Deliverable D2.2 |
Agreed functional and technical requirements docs. |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.3 |
Agreed designs. |
Must |
Yes |
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Deliverable D2.4 |
Service description with user stories. |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.5 |
Bill of Materials for purchases orders. |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.6 |
Procured equipment. |
Must |
Yes |
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Deliverable D2.7 |
Infrastructure builds. |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.8 |
RSF Storage in JCMB DC |
Could |
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Deliverable D2.9 |
App build. |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.10 |
Testing & sign off |
Must |
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Deliverable D2.11 |
Go live prep sign off |
Must |
Yes |
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Deliverable D2.12 |
Go live. |
Must |
Yes |
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Migration of data from interim solution storage to full solution storage. |
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Deliverable D3.1 |
Agreed approach for migration. |
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Deliverable D3.2 |
Agreed plan for migration. |
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Deliverable D3.3 |
Migration completed and signed off. |
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Yes |
Benefits
Benefits management and realisation will be available on the ITI Sharepoint space.
Research data will be preserved and metadata recorded, making these research outputs more discoverable and enhancing their prospects for re-use both by UoE researchers and prospective future collaborators or for future sharing via DataShare or other public repositories. The retention of the data is one aspect of compliance with the requirements of all Research Councils and most other major funders. The DataVault will allow researchers to free up their working storage for use on other work.
Success Criteria
Interim Service
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- Users can deposit data up to 2TB.
- Data can be retrieved intact.
- Documentation provides clear and correct instructions on how to deposit.
- The system works in accordance with the Service Description.
Full DataVault Service
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- Users can deposit data.
- Data can be retrieved intact.
- Documentation provides clear and correct instructions on how to deposit and acceptance criteria.
- The system works in accordance with the Service Description.
- DataVault data can be searched (via Pure) on depositor name or words in title or description.
Alignment with Strategic Vision
This project will deliver benefits, change and innovations in alignment with the IS Strategic Vision and the University's Strategic Vision for 2025. ** Check the Annual Plan on ITI Sharepoint to see how the project's deliverables and benefits have been aligned to Run/Grow/Transform and the Strategic Themes **
Run / Grow / Transform
Which activity does the project contribute to? The project could be one or more of R/G/T.
IS Strategic Vision the main elements of the vision that this projects contibutes to are highlighted in bold.
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Student Experience |
Commentary |
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Student experience and the unique Edinburgh offer |
Enhancing the research environment. |
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Online and distance learning leaders |
n/a |
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Library national and international leadership |
We will be early adopters implementing locally the DataVault which we participated in developing as part of a Jisc flagship project. |
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Research and Innovation |
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Research IT and Data Sciences |
We will enable our researchers to preserve their data in a well-organised, discoverable form, and to make use of greater amounts of storage. |
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Innovation |
We will be early adopters implementing locally the DataVault which we participated in developing as part of a Jisc flagship project. |
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Collaborative leadership and social responsibility |
We will be early adopters implementing locally the DataVault which we participated in developing as part of a Jisc project which is open-source. |
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Service Excellence |
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Process improvement, efficiency, quality and best practice |
The DataVault will facilitate the preservation and creation of metadata for research outputs, enhancing the prospects for re-use of that data and reducing risk of loss of data which might previously not have been backed up. |
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Long-term IS strategic planning and linked professional services |
Research Data Service staff will handle requests to deposit, with a view to advising depositors on complementary use of other services namely DataShare. |
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Information Security |
N/A |
University's Strategic Vision for 2025 the main elements of the vision that this projects contributes to are highlighted in bold.
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A unique Edinburgh offer for all of our students |
Commentary |
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• all of our undergraduates developed as student/ researchers with clear, supported pathways through to Masters and PhD |
This service will enhance the research environment by providing cutting-edge support for long-term preservation of data. |
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• all our students offered the opportunity to draw from deep expertise outside their core discipline |
N/A |
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• a highly satisfied student body with a strong sense of community. |
N/A |
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Strong and vibrant communities within and beyond the University – making the most of our unique offer of world-leading thinking and learning within one of the world’s most attractive cities |
N/A |
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A larger, more international,staff who feel valued and supported in a University that is a great and collegial |
This cutting-edge service will free up storage, and enhance re-useability of data. |
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place to work, develop and progress |
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More postgraduate students – underpinned by the best support in the sector to ensure we attract the brightest and best regardless of ability to pay |
This cutting-edge service will free up storage, and enhance re-useability of data, providing a tangible competitive edge in fields where large amounts of data are handled such as Geosciences, Chemistry, Genomics and Neuroscience. |
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A strong culture of philanthropic support focussed especially on our students and on outstanding research capabilities. |
N/A |
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Many more students benefiting from the Edinburgh experience (largely or entirely) in their own country – supported by deep international partnerships and worldleading online distance learning |
N/A |
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Sustained world leading reputation for the breadth, depth and interdisciplinarity of our research supported by strong growth in research funding and strong international partnerships – drawing from well-established and less well developed sources |
This cutting-edge service will free up storage, and enhance re-useability of data, providing a tangible competitive edge in fields where large amounts of data are handled such as Geosciences, Chemistry, Genomics and Neuroscience. |
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An estate that matches expectations, responds flexibly to changing student and staff needs, and showcases the University |
This cutting-edge service will free up storage, and enhance re-useability of data, providing a tangible competitive edge in fields where large amounts of data are handled such as Geosciences, Chemistry, Genomics and Neuroscience. |
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A deeper and earlier collaboration with industry, the public sector and the third sector – in terms of research; knowledge exchange; and in giving our students the best possible set of skills for their future |
This facility could be a significant attraction for external collaborators, allowing them to benefit from long-term storage of data without incurring the associated overheads i.e. an economy of scale. |
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Digital Transformation |
Commentary |
|---|---|
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Describe how the changes this project delivers will contribute to the digital transformation of the Service |
The DataVault will facilitate the preservation and creation of metadata for research outputs, enhancing the prospects for re-use of that data and reducing risk of loss of data which might previously not have been backed up. It will also allow researchers to free up space on their active data storage for use in further work. |
Impact
Priority and Funding
Confirm that we have funding for this project.
Service Excellence - Information and Security
Are we using standard builds for the project (that is, pre-validated security controls will be in place for infrastructure and data)? Or Do we anticipate having to develop non-standard infrastructure? Will we have third party integrations on installations? Are we dealing with data out with our standard set of controls? If so, what level of risk is associated with the data? What are the appropriate controls?
The project must outline how it is dealing with risk, how the need to design/build/test impacts on project scope, budget and timeline.
Confirm which University or divisional polices are providing guidance here.
Set Security design, execution and acceptance as a Deliverable
Quality Assurance - Create a Security Milestone for Delivery - and Design, Build and Acceptance depending on project complexity - that must be signed-off by Project Manager and Section Head. Create any specific risks around security
Service Excellence - Process Improvement, efficiency, quality and best practice (Social Responsibility and and Sustainability)
If the project could or will lead to recycling of hardware then
Create a milestone called 'Recycle - Engagement' so that the project can engage with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability at the appropriate time
Add a Benefit to the ITI Benefits Management and Realisation log (ITI Projects Sharepoint)
Is there an opportunity to take advantage of the Green IT Initiative for further funding?
Digital Transformation
The project makes use of the following innovative techniques, tools and processes:
- Production of documentation for EdWeb directly in the Content Management System, making use of the CMS's Moderation functionality to allow efficient collaboration
- Regular meetings of representatives of the development, front-end user support and infrastructure teams have facilitated communication, planning and decision-making
- A testing schedule has been produced to ensure thorough coverage of testing and to avoid duplication of effort through efficient recording of testing results
- The production of a Service Description document has enabled the team to identify and move forward the policy decisions required.
IS Change Programme
Indicate if the project itself (during plan, execution, implementation) contributes to the themes with the IS Change Programme.
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IS Change Programme Theme |
How the project process will contribute to change |
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Project Management |
The standard UoE project management approach is being applied to this piece of work. |
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Working Together |
The project team has included members from infrastructure, Library and Research Data Service to ensure design meets the needs of staff who will administer the system and users. Several frequent users of data support have been enlisted to provide input to the design and user testing of the interim service and associated documentation.
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Standards and Technical Leadership |
We will be early adopters implementing locally the DataVault which we participated in developing as part of a Jisc project which is open-source. |
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Staff Learning and Development |
The project team has benefited by learning good practice in project management from Steve Taylor. Staff producing the DataVault documentation are learning good practice in the use of EdWeb from colleagues in Research Information Systems who recently overhauled the online documentation for Pure. |
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Service Based Culture |
With respect to shifting-left: the service is being designed to be self-service as far as possible. Extensive consultation with users and other stakeholders has been undertaken at every stage of design and development.
check the Service Catalogue (due for 2016/17) for Service Owner and Service Operations Manager. Confirm with them who should be stakeholders on the project. Also check with head of IS Helpline. Confirm at what stages if the project SO/SOM want representation and sign-off - especially around Design and UAT and Delivery. Do we need a Handover? Add Stakeholders to these Milestones. Is there a CMDB entry to update to reflect changes?
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Equality and Diversity |
Planning: Discuss the Project Board, project team and key stakeholders with your Sponsor - do the groupings reflect/promote diversity? Be aware of particular periods or dates that may conflict with religious or social or domestic obligations.
Design: The interface is being designed with best practice in Usability and Accessibility for all devices in mind. With respect to honorifics – access will be via EASE, and metadata will be recorded in Pure, so staff will be identified by the details already stored in those systems.
The name of the system is self-explanatory, to facilitate awareness-raising and accessibility.
Quality Assurance: Add a Design Milestone and a separate Milestone for Acceptance Sign-Off. The Design Milestone confirms that the UI has been checked for promotion of Equality and Diversity, and that we have designed an inclusive UI. Add to the Design Milestone, or better, create a separate Usability Milestone for Design and QA. There must be a separate EqIA Milestone to show that this has been done. Ensure that appropriate authority is signing off on the legal aspects of Equality and Diversity. |
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Innovation |
This cutting-edge service will free up storage, and enhance re-useability of data, providing a tangible competitive edge in fields where large amounts of data are handled such as Geosciences, Chemistry, Genomics and Neuroscience.
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Flexible Resourcing |
The Project Manager and a software developer contractor have been drafted in to speed up delivery of the service. The project team is drawn from multiple teams from several divisions (EDINA, Library, ITI Infrastructure), embodying the 'virtual team' approach.
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Communication and Branding |
Communication: Ensure that you have a session as part of planning for Stakeholder identification and analysis. Set out the communication plan by the end of the project brief - or set a milestone date for when you will have this in place if end of planning not possible. Project Manager is the accountable person and will signoff the milestone. Branding: Are you delivering a new Service or significantly upgrading a new service? If so, then the project team must engage with the new Branding guidelines and Change Management Theme team for ISG, the branding for the school or college via the college marketing team, the University's Comms and Marketing team - potentially all of these. Use gel.ed.ac.uk to access assets and guidelines for branding of communications, websites, mobiles.
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Quality Assurance: A milestone must be created for Branding and the Project Manager must sign-off as the accountable person.
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Organisation
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Role |
Name |
Position/Business Area |
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Service Owner |
Robin Rice |
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Programme Owner |
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Programme Manager |
Maurice Franceschi |
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Portfolio Owner |
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Portfolio Manager |
David Fergusson |
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Project Stakeholders
| Name | Business area | Role |
| Adam Rusbridge | EDINA Business Support | Senior Supplier |
| Anthony Davie | IS User Services Division | Senior User |
| Claire Knowles | Development Manager, Digital Library | Product Owner |
| Colin Higgs | School of Engineering | Senior User |
| David Fergusson | ITI Research Services Section | Senior Supplier |
| David Speed | EDINA Operations | Software Engineer |
| Fraser Muir | CAHSS | Senior User |
| George Hamilton | EDINA Operations | Software Engineer |
| Jackie Clarke | EDINA Operations | Web Designer |
| Kenton D'Mellow | ITI Research Services Section | Technical Lead |
| Kerry Miller | RDM Service Coordinator | Test and documentation |
| Kirsty Lingstadt | Digital Library | Senior Supplier |
| Lawrence Stevenson | ISG Project Services | Project Manager |
| Maurice Franceschi | ISG Project Services | Programme Manager |
| Pauline Ward | Data Library Support | Test and documentation |
| Robin Rice | Research Data Support Services | Project Sponsor |
| Tim Stickland | EDINA Operations | Software Engineer |
| Tony Weir | ISG IT Infrastructure | Senior Supplier |
| William Petit | EDINA Operations | Software Engineer |
Governance
Work/Task Breakdown
Resources, Skills and Costs
Project Estimations
Planned Project Timelines
For small projects and project teams, the milestones will set out the project plan.
For medium and large projects, a project plan - MS Project, Gantt, or other - can be added to the Plan Log and revised as project progresses.
Resources Skills and Cost
Budget
For small projects and project teams, state the estimated effort - build and test, project management.
For medium and large projects, an estimate can be added to the Estimation Log and revised as project progresses.
Also estimate costs of hardware, software, licenses, travel, other.
Project Team
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Role |
Name |
Division / Group / Team / College / School and Title |
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Project Manager |
Steve Taylor |
ISG Project Services |
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Service Owner |
Robin Rice |
EDINA |
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Portfolio Manager |
David Fergusson |
RSS |
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Security/Cloud Advisor |
Kenton D’Mellow |
RSS |
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Kevin Tomlinson |
RSS |
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Product Owner |
Claire Knowles |
L&UC |
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Developer |
Robin Taylor |
L&UC |
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Dominic Tate |
L&UC |
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Ianthe Sutherland |
L&UC |
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Tony Mathys |
L&UC, RDM Co-ordinator |
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Tester |
Pauline Ward |
EDINA, Research Data Service Assistant |
Tolerances
For medium and large projects, state any tolerances for cost/timeline/scope beyond which point the Project Manager must request approval of the change from the Sponsor and / or the Board.
Quality
The milestones are a key tool in ensuring that the project process itself is followed as set out by ITI, and that the product deliverables are to the required Quality.
Edit this template to list the key Milestones and who signs off on these milestones. Add milestones for Security, Accessibility, etc. as advised on previous page.
| Milestone | Acceptance Criteria | Date | Approval/Accountability |
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| Start of Project | Project is in line with Programme and Portfolio roadmap and is resourced | dd/mm/yyyy |
Project Sponsor Programme Manager |
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End of Planning |
The following have been approved -
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Communication Plan |
A plan showing communications by -
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Project Sponsor Senior User(s) Programme Manager Project Manager |
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End of Analysis |
Quality and completeness of analysis |
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Business Analyst Business Lead Senior User(s) Project Manager |
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End of Design |
Quality and completeness of design |
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Technical Lead Business lead Senior User(s) Senior Supplier(s) Project Manager |
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End of UI Design |
Quality of UI |
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Technical Lead Business Lead Senior User(s) Senior Supplier(s) Project Manager |
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End of Build |
Quality and completeness of build |
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Technical Lead Business Lead Senior User(s) Senior Supplier(s) |
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Acceptance |
Deliverables are as planned Quality criteria met UAT completed and approved Production readiness checks passed |
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Technical Lead Business lead Senior User(s) Senior Supplier(s) Business Analyst Project Manager |
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Security QA |
Service audit satisfies security standards and guidelines |
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CISO |
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Branding QA |
Approval that ISG, University and school/college branding guidelines are followed |
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PM UoE C&M, College C&M ISG Branding Team |
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Design UI QA |
Show that UI is usable, accessible, promotes equality and diversity |
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Sponsor Service Owner |
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EqIA |
For new services or services undergoing substantial change, there must be -
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Service Owner Equality Officer
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Delivery |
Change to Service can proceed |
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Sponsor Service Owner Service Operations Manager Helpdesk Manager |
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Handover to support |
Support can take over running of the Service |
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Service Owner Service Operations Manager Helpdesk Manager |
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Closure |
All objectives and deliverables met; benefits being tracked |
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Project Sponsor |
Assumptions
What are the key underlying assumptions for the project that underpin the planning? For example, that the requirements we have outlined are complete, that all our stakeholders have been identified, that the software we are using is ready and configured, that we have a ready to use TEST environment.
Constraints
Specialist skills and knowledge are needed for most of the roles in this project including technical expertise with regards to storage and web development, knowledge of legal and policy requirements on researchers and the university with regards to research data preservation and sharing and handling of personal/sensitive data.
Risks
Risk of data loss has been minimised by ensuring data is checksummed for integrity, is copied to three locations and remains identifiable and discoverable through the metadata kept in Pure.
Issues
The project manager will ensure all changes to cost/timeline/scope must be recorded in the issue log, and reflected in milestones log, budget and estimations, and the project Scope Change log.
Previous Lessons Learned
Does the ITI Lessons Learned (see ITI Projects Sharepoint) indicate any issues or risks from previous projects? Is any other previous experience pertinent?
Dependencies
A number of users are waiting to have access to this service, so that they can preserve their data.
Communication
For projects with an array of external stakeholders, a Communication Plan can be created and made available on the ITI Sharepoint space if preferred.
Also confirm that: Project Sponsor and Project Manager meeting schedule has been agreed with Sponsor. Project Team meetings schedule has been arranged (these may be combined with Sponsor meetings).
Check the Forward Look on ITI Sharepoint to see the level of engagement our partners expect for your project.
Check the Forward Look to see if your project wil be using the Major Governance Toolkit.