Risks and trust in pursuit of a well functioning Persistent Identifier infrastructure for research

Persistent Identifiers and their infrastructures are argued to be of significant strategic importance to modern-day research. We aim to better understand what is needed to build and exploit a well-functioning PID infrastructure.

1 September 2021 - 31 May 2023,  00:00 - 00:00, 

KER0018

Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) and their infrastructures are of significant strategic importance to the increasingly digital reality of modern-day research. To better understand what is needed to build and exploit a well-functioning PID infrastructure for research, Knowledge Exchange (KE) conducted an in-depth investigation on PIDs, with the aim of producing recommendations for those stakeholders involved.

PIDs scoping paper

A scoping document was written by experts of the Task and Finish Group for PIDs Risks and Trust. A call for bids on further investigations resulted in consultants, scidecode science consulting, taking on the assignment ‘to identify the best possible strategic and operational paths to achieve a well-functioning PID infrastructure for KE member states and beyond.'

Building the plane as we fly it: the Promise of Persistent Identifiers

The role of  Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) within modern-day research has been explored and analysed and recommendations identified, making use of the KE Open Scholarship Framework as well as the notions of Risk and Trust.

scidecode science consulting produced the report Building the plane as we fly it: the promise of Persistent Identifiers and its accompanying case studies, to support PID's role in our vision of facilitating open science. Not only does the report emphasise the risk and trust elements of PID implementation, it also focuses on providing the research community and their supporting governing institutions with an understanding of the complex and constantly changing landscape in which a well-functioning PID infrastructure must evolve. 

The study  includes a literature review on the main characteristics of PIDs and an analysis of interviews with a variety of actors, ranging from PID managers, owners and users to PID authorities and providers.

The published report, Building the plane as we fly it: the Promise of Persistent Identifiers, and complementary case studies provide answers to the following questions:

  • What are the benefits of an efficient PID infrastructure, how does it contribute to an open infrastructure and how is this a precondition for research communities impending research agendas?
  • What are important risk and trust issues that key players involved in the PID infrastructure face and what can go wrong with an unreliable PID service?
  • What recommendations can be made for key stakeholder groups?

The accompanying case studies underpin the report and provide further insight into the world of PIDs, as well as helping to form the recommendations. The set of recommendations are aimed at each stakeholder group and aim to guarantee the successful implementation and management of PID processes.

The report is available here.

The accompanying case studies are available here.

Webinar

In May 2023, KE hosted their first webinar to share outcomes from the report and case studies. You can watch the one-hour recorded event below.

Webinar download documents

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Transcript: KE webinar Persistent Identifiers in academia

Transcript for the Knowledge Exchange webinar - Persistent Identifiers in Academia: Risks and Trust, which took place in May 2023

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Slides: Pablo de Castro Persistent identifiers in academia: risk and trust

Persistent Identifiers in Academia: Risk and Trust –The Knowledge Exchange Study - Pablo de Castro slides presented at Persistent identifiers in academia: risk and trust webinar

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Slides: Gaelle Bequet Persistent identifiers in academia: risk and trust

Working with Persistent Identifiers: Focus on recommendations to research stakeholders, universities, & researchers - Gaelle Bequet slides presented at Persistent identifiers in academia: risk and trust webinar

The Task & Finish Group for PIDs Risk and Trust

The activity was led by KE representatives Frank Manista (Jisc) and Josefine Nordling (CSC). The Task & Finish Group for this activity consisted of experts from across each of the six KE partner countries:

  • Rene Belsø (Expert Lead), DeiC, Denmark
  • Martin Matthiesen (Expert Co-lead), CSC, Finland
  • Pascal Aventurier, IRD, France
  • Nathalie Fargier, CNRS, France
  • Gaëlle Béquet, ISSN, France
  • Jessica Parland-von Essen, CSC, Finland
  • Clifford Tatum, CWTS, Netherlands
  • Laurents Sesink, Leiden University, Netherlands 
  • Gül Akcaova, SURF, Netherlands
  • Stephanie Palek, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Germany
  • Jürgen Kett, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Germany
  • Britta Dreyer, Technische Informationsbibliothek, Germany
  • Adam Vials Moore, Jisc, UK 
  • Hilda Muchando, Human Made / ALTIS, UK
  • Kirsty Wallis, University College London, UK

The Consultants

A team of consultants were appointed by KE to support this work:

Key findings / outcome report download

Building the plane as we fly it: the promise of Persistent Identifiers
Open Science
1 February 2023

Building the plane as we fly it: the promise of Persistent Identifiers

Purpose: Report

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7258286

File type: PDF

Download
Adoption of the DAI in the Netherlands and subsequent superseding by ORCID/ISNI
Open Science
1 February 2023

Adoption of the DAI in the Netherlands and subsequent superseding by ORCID/ISNI

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7327505

File type: PDF

Download
The gradual implementation of organisational identifiers (OrgIDs)
Open Science
1 February 2023

The gradual implementation of organisational identifiers (OrgIDs)

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7327535

File type: PDF

Download
Persistent identifiers for research instruments and facilities: an emerging PID domain in need of coordination
Open Science
1 February 2023

Persistent identifiers for research instruments and facilities: an emerging PID domain in need of coordination

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7330372

File type: PDF

Download
IGSN - building and expanding a community-driven PID system
Open Science
1 February 2023

IGSN - building and expanding a community-driven PID system

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7330498

File type: PDF

Download
RePEc Author Service: An established community-driven PID
Open Science
1 February 2023

RePEc Author Service: An established community-driven PID

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7330516

File type: PDF

Download
Failed PIDs and unreliable PID implementations
Open Science
1 February 2023

Failed PIDs and unreliable PID implementations

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7330527

File type: PDF

Download
The role of research funders in the consolidation of the PID landscape
Open Science
30 November 2022

The role of research funders in the consolidation of the PID landscape

Purpose: Case study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7258210

File type: PDF

Download
Risks and Trust in Pursuit of a Well-functioning Persistent Identifier Infrastructure for Research
Open Science
23 June 2021

Risks and Trust in Pursuit of a Well-functioning Persistent Identifier Infrastructure for Research

Purpose: Scoping Document

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5018216

File type: PDF

Download