Social Sciences co-design workshop report for the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons

This is a report on 2 co-design workshops for the Social Sciences project, which is part of the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons, part of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC).

The Social Sciences project will develop new digital research infrastructure for social sciences researchers. This project will build upon a successful pilot project that is improving valuable administrative data for research use, and is informed by the direction set by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia’s Decadal Plan for Social Science Research Infrastructure 2024-33.

The proposed plan for the Social Sciences is being developed in collaboration with the Institute of Social Sciences Research at the University of Queensland. 

Our Co-Design process: The ARDC is developing this infrastructure in accordance with the HASS and Indigenous RDC co-design framework (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10516606). This process is designed to create the greatest impact for research and researchers by co-designing the infrastructure with the people who will benefit from it. Project development is follow the stages of Problem Identification, Project Shaping, Project Planning, and Endorsement. The Project Shaping phase was implemented through the two open co-design workshops described here.

The workshops were held on 10 and 23 April 2024. Workshop 1 was hybrid, and was held alongside the launch of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia's Decadal Plan for Social Science Research Infrastructure 2024-33. Workshop 2 was held virtually. Both workshops were were open to all.

Workshop 1 was attended by 51 participants from 26 organisations. Organisations represented included 11 Australian universities, as well as Federal Government departments, research institutes, peak bodies, research infrastructure providers, and GLAM sector organisations. The aim of this first workshop was to understand the challenges being faced by social sciences researchers and identify high-priority challenges that could be addressed through this investment.

Workshop 2 was attended by 46 participants from 27 organisations. Organisations represented included 15 Australian universities and an international university, as well as Federal Government departments, research institutes, peak bodies, and research infrastructure providers. The aim of this workshop was to further explore the benefits of and requirements for development opportunities identified in Workshop 1.

Learn more about the 2 workshops by reading the workshop report below. 

Contents

Executive Summary

The HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons

The Social Sciences Investment Opportunity

Our Co-Design Process

Workshop 1

A Grand Challenge for the Social Sciences Survey

Workshop 2

Next steps

Appendix

Learn more about the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons.