Informatics & Systematics
Goal: Landcare Research’s science knowledge, databases and collections, analyses and modelling are readily available and can be used efficiently and effectively, both internally and externally.
Informatics is the design and development of information systems that can gather and manage data (often from distributed sources) and deliver information as and when needed, often through web portals. The key underlying principles for web portals are that publicly-funded data are open (discoverable) and conform to international data standards, in forms that are usable by humans and computers. A key focus is interoperability standards – ensuring our computer systems work seamlessly alongside those of our national and international stakeholders. These developments are being enabled by high network speeds, such as the ultra-fast broadband roll-out, KAREN (Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network) and the High Performance Computing facilities being operated under the National e-Science Infrastructure (NeSI) investment.
We have a vested interest in knowledge stewardship – maximising new uses for existing data, acquiring new data when and where they are needed, software and data-sharing synergies, data integrity, and data uptake and use by others. We develop new software applications to enhance knowledge transfer and increase national and international access to, and interoperability of data from, our research programmes and our Nationally Significant Databases and Collections.
Policy funding agencies increasingly depend on e-science and robust integrative modelling across local, national and even global scales. The private sector also needs to be able to derive value from Core-funded datasets.
Key Performance Indicator
- The response to last year’s online survey of people using our Nationally Significant Databases and Collections was very positive (as reported in the 2012 Annual Report). The survey is now being conducted biennially to avoid ‘survey fatigue’. We continue to work closely with key user groups, and respond to user requests. Where major projects are planned (such as LCDB updates), we work closely with a steering group of stakeholder representatives.