DDI Scientific Work Plan, 2021-2022

The first DDI Scientific Plan covers a 2-year period, January 2021 through December 2022. The initial 2-year plan reflects the fact that the Scientific Board only became fully operational in spring of 2021. The Scientific Plan for this initial planning period focuses on the need for the board to establish its internal process as well as provide oversight to the on-going scientific work of the DDI Alliance. This will include clarifying relationships with the Executive Board and its relationship to the Technical Committee and other Working Groups of the Scientific Board.

The Scientific Work Plan is therefore divided into four sections:

I. Proceedings and Workflow of the new Scientific Board internally and externally
II. Reachable Short-Term Goals for 2021 and 2022
III. Preparations of issues to be covered within the next Scientific Plan for 2023
IV. Long Term Vision for DDI products and processes

Sections I and II are the actual work plan for 2021 and 2022 as they contain measurable goals which should be reachable within this timeframe. Section III contains goals we consider to be viable for the next Scientific Plan beginning in 2023. The intent of this section is to identify areas for preparation and planning for future work. Section IV contains long term visions for DDI products which can be reached in timeframes of three to five years. The current Scientific Board will not be able to initiate those processes in the near term, but provide this information to provide context for current activities and clarify longer term goals. 

This iteration of the Scientific Work Plan incorporates large parts of the DDI Alliance Strategic Plan as it existed at the time this document was created. The Scientific Board accepted the Strategic Plan in its general outline. The internal planning discussions of the Scientific Board as well as the work plans submitted by the different Working Groups fit within the Strategic Plan. In the future, the scientific section of the Strategic Plan should arise out of the long-term goals of the Scientific Plan as reviewed by the Scientific Representatives and approved by the membership of the DDI Alliance.