Jisc research data projects invitation

[Christopher Gutteridge]

Hi, developers.

After the s/JISC/Jisc/g change we've been waiting to see what they do
next. They have just kicked off a new funding route with some more novel
ways of designing the projects. Projects only get funded *after* a
workshop where everybody interested gets together to compare ideas. If
this goes the way I hope it'll mean more joined up project funding and
more working together to make shared solutions.

The organiser, Daniela Duca, has asked if it's possible to find 4-5
people with relevant development experience to attend the "sandpit
workshop" to help design and review the projects to increase their
chance of producing viable and useful results. I know there's some
bitterness in our community towards Jisc as an entity, but we gain
nothing by holding a grudge at changes forced on them from above. I'd
rather we helped them become something new and getting the most bangs
for the taxpayer buck.

It's in Birmingham on the 26th and 27th of this month. Please contact
Daniela Duca <Daniel...@jisc.ac.uk> if you'd be interested in lending
your brainwidth. More details:
<http://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/research-data-spring> (obviously
they'll cover basic expenses)

We're also talking to the Software Sustainability institute about what
rules should go in a Jisc project requirements to help towards getting
good results. Obviously development with public visible version control
(rather than release source at the end of the project). What other
simple requirements would improve the value Jisc get from their funding?

This time last year I wrote a long blog post about the changes at Jisc,
from my perspective
<http://blog.soton.ac.uk/webteam/2014/03/13/jisc-regeneration-or-rebranding/>
the most important take away from which should be don't bash Jisc staff
for changes forced on them, that's like blaming nurses for the changes
to the NHS.

On a personal note, it'd be nice to see some of the old Dev8D crowd. I
miss getting to see y'all.

--
Christopher Gutteridge -- http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/cjg

University of Southampton Open Data Service: http://data.southampton.ac.uk/
You should read the ECS Web Team blog: http://blogs.ecs.soton.ac.uk/webteam/