Synchronisation Force 2nd Workshop Session 1: Metrics and assessing FAIRness

In this session, we will look into the metrics, their associated tests, and tools available for the FAIRness assessment of digital objects, but this time concentrating on research software and semantic artefacts, although information and experience with metrics and assessment tools for data objects is most definitely welcome. We will discuss current topics, such as discipline specific metrics for FAIR assessments, harmonisation, benchmarking of metrics and tools, and the most effective use and interpretation of tools and their results.

Chair: Mike Priddy, DANS
Rapporteur:  Maaike Verburg, DANS

From the last Synchronisation Force workshop on metrics and assessing FAIRness these recommendations will be used to guide the discussions and information gathering in this workshop:

• We need to work on a further convergence of metrics and tools, which requires further discussion, synchronisation and alignment;
• We need more domain-sensitive assessment methods, in order to incorporate domain maturity as well as specific good practices and requirements.
• We need assessment tools for other research outputs, like software and semantic artefacts.
• The instrument of FAIR assessment and scoring should be seen and used as the starting point for assistance and improvement.

The EOSC Multi Annual Roadmap (MAR) objectives relevant for this workshop are:

• Objective 2 – European level priority F “Focus on community-specific FAIR metrics and data quality constraints (especially on the interoperability of these) by engaging with research clusters to apply FAIR in their contexts. (2025)”
• Objective 2 – European level priority G “Support the emergence of a widely representative governance body around FAIR metrics and assessment.”
• Objective 2 – Institutional level priority L “Support research communities to adopt both general and domain-specific standards to increase adoption of FAIR practices and reuse.”

Expected outcomes

The cross-workshop expected outcome is to assess the usage of FAIR assessment metrics and tools with a particular interest in domain-specificity and non-data digital objects, and the status of implementation of FAIR practices with respect to disciplines and domains of the participants.