Conduct a study using regular (periodic) surveys of the research community to better understand why people do and don't contribute to public software #20
Potential Activity Scope
Conducting research using regular (periodic, for example, every 3rd or 5th year) surveys of the research community to better understand why people do and don't contribute to public software is a multi-faceted challenge. These surveys should delve into the motivations, barriers, and dynamics that influence individuals' decisions to engage or not engage in contributing to public software projects. Such research should recognize that these decisions are influenced by a complex interplay of personal, professional, social, and structural factors, and should seek to uncover these factors to inform efforts to foster a more vibrant and inclusive culture of public software contributions. This effort would involve specific steps, such as:
Designing the Surveys: The process begins with the careful design of the surveys. This involves defining clear objectives, identifying target respondents, crafting relevant questions, and determining the frequency of the surveys. The questions should be designed to uncover the underlying motivations, attitudes, and perceptions that influence individuals' decisions to contribute or not to public software.
Sampling and Distribution: The surveys should be distributed to a representative sample of the research community, including those who have contributed to public software and those who have not. This may involve collaboration with universities, research institutions, professional organizations, and other stakeholders to reach a diverse and relevant audience.
Data Collection and Analysis: Regularly collecting and analyzing the survey data allows for tracking trends and changes over time. This may reveal insights into how external factors, such as changes in technology, funding, policies, or cultural attitudes, are influencing individuals' decisions to contribute to public software.
Identifying Motivations and Barriers: The analysis should aim to identify both the motivations that drive individuals to contribute to public software and the barriers that prevent them from doing so. This may include factors such as personal interest, professional recognition, community engagement, lack of time, lack of skills, or concerns about intellectual property.
Developing Insights and Recommendations: The findings from the surveys can be used to develop insights and recommendations for encouraging and supporting contributions to public software. This may involve strategies for recognizing and rewarding contributions, providing training and resources, fostering collaboration and community, or addressing legal and ethical concerns.
Dissemination and Engagement: The insights and recommendations should be disseminated widely within the research community and beyond. This may involve publishing reports, presenting at conferences, engaging with policymakers, or collaborating with software projects and platforms. Engaging with various stakeholders ensures that the findings are used to inform and influence practices, policies, and attitudes related to public software contributions.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adaptation: The research should be an ongoing process, with regular updates and adaptations to the surveys to reflect changes in the field, emerging issues, and feedback from respondents. This ensures that the research remains relevant and continues to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of public software contributions.
Potential Objectives
To design comprehensive and relevant surveys that effectively capture the motivations, barriers, and dynamics influencing individuals' decisions to contribute or not to public software.
To distribute the surveys to a representative sample of the research community, ensuring a diverse and relevant response.
To regularly collect and analyze the survey data, tracking trends and changes over time to provide a dynamic understanding of the factors influencing public software contributions.
To identify both the motivations that drive individuals to contribute to public software and the barriers that prevent them from doing so, uncovering underlying personal, professional, social, and structural factors.
To develop insights and recommendations based on the survey findings, creating actionable strategies for encouraging and supporting contributions to public software.
To disseminate the insights and recommendations widely within the research community and beyond, engaging with various stakeholders to inform and influence practices, policies, and attitudes.
To monitor and adapt the research process continuously, ensuring that the surveys and analysis remain relevant and responsive to changes in the field, emerging issues, and feedback from respondents.
Targeted Impacts
To provide a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of why people do and don't contribute to public software, enriching the field's knowledge and informing future strategies.
To foster a more inclusive and supportive culture of public software contributions, by addressing the barriers and leveraging the motivations identified through the surveys.
To influence policies and practices within research institutions, funding agencies, and software platforms, encouraging them to recognize, reward, and support contributions to public software.
To create a valuable resource for researchers, developers, community managers, and policymakers, providing evidence-based insights and guidance on how to engage and sustain contributions to public software.
This potential activity was curated as part of "Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software," a Sloan Foundation-funded project within URSSI dedicated to supporting the future of research software through evidence-informed policy work (Project contacts are: @danielskatz and @dr-eric-jensen). If you are interested in working on this, please add a comment.
Potential Activity Scope Conducting research using regular (periodic, for example, every 3rd or 5th year) surveys of the research community to better understand why people do and don't contribute to public software is a multi-faceted challenge. These surveys should delve into the motivations, barriers, and dynamics that influence individuals' decisions to engage or not engage in contributing to public software projects. Such research should recognize that these decisions are influenced by a complex interplay of personal, professional, social, and structural factors, and should seek to uncover these factors to inform efforts to foster a more vibrant and inclusive culture of public software contributions. This effort would involve specific steps, such as:
Designing the Surveys: The process begins with the careful design of the surveys. This involves defining clear objectives, identifying target respondents, crafting relevant questions, and determining the frequency of the surveys. The questions should be designed to uncover the underlying motivations, attitudes, and perceptions that influence individuals' decisions to contribute or not to public software.
Sampling and Distribution: The surveys should be distributed to a representative sample of the research community, including those who have contributed to public software and those who have not. This may involve collaboration with universities, research institutions, professional organizations, and other stakeholders to reach a diverse and relevant audience.
Data Collection and Analysis: Regularly collecting and analyzing the survey data allows for tracking trends and changes over time. This may reveal insights into how external factors, such as changes in technology, funding, policies, or cultural attitudes, are influencing individuals' decisions to contribute to public software.
Identifying Motivations and Barriers: The analysis should aim to identify both the motivations that drive individuals to contribute to public software and the barriers that prevent them from doing so. This may include factors such as personal interest, professional recognition, community engagement, lack of time, lack of skills, or concerns about intellectual property.
Developing Insights and Recommendations: The findings from the surveys can be used to develop insights and recommendations for encouraging and supporting contributions to public software. This may involve strategies for recognizing and rewarding contributions, providing training and resources, fostering collaboration and community, or addressing legal and ethical concerns.
Dissemination and Engagement: The insights and recommendations should be disseminated widely within the research community and beyond. This may involve publishing reports, presenting at conferences, engaging with policymakers, or collaborating with software projects and platforms. Engaging with various stakeholders ensures that the findings are used to inform and influence practices, policies, and attitudes related to public software contributions.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adaptation: The research should be an ongoing process, with regular updates and adaptations to the surveys to reflect changes in the field, emerging issues, and feedback from respondents. This ensures that the research remains relevant and continues to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of public software contributions.
Potential Objectives
Targeted Impacts
This potential activity was curated as part of "Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software," a Sloan Foundation-funded project within URSSI dedicated to supporting the future of research software through evidence-informed policy work (Project contacts are: @danielskatz and @dr-eric-jensen). If you are interested in working on this, please add a comment.