Resource Monitoring Protocol

Example of a resource monitoring protocol for data stewards and researchers

Insights from AFFORD

The following recommendatiosn were derived after a first attempt to keep a time log the activities during data-intensive data collection waves at different facilities.

Recommendations

Recommendation	Details
Consistency and precision of measurement units	Use hours (e.g., 1:15 = 1 h 15 min) instead of days as a time tracking unit to avoid ambiguity.
Reporting of Waiting Times	Limit the entries to computing or active work times. Promote centralized services for IT-related tasks.
Data Volume	Include estimates of data volume to clarify time estimates for certain tasks like making backups.
Retrospective and Prospective Times	Distinguish between retrospective vs prospective time estimates to improve analysis of activities.
Single Resource Monitoring Table	The table should include all relevant governance information e.g.,: Partner, Collaborator, Year
Generic Variable Names	Replace specific terms for variable names (e.g., Synchrotron, Beamline) with generic names that can apply to different data modalities (e.g., Facility_1, Facility_2).
Codebook	MUST include a “codebook” describing variables, clarify abbreviations and specifying controlled vocabularies.

Controlled Vocabularies

Vocabulary

Variable	Categories or Actions
Purpose	Data and File Management: Data acquisition, backups, and archiving, often during data collection.
	Internal Data Documentation: Internal documentation with minimal curation for sharing.
	Data Sharing and Publishing: Documenting, sharing, and publishing data, including planning and workflow discussions.
	Data Stewardship: Assisting researchers with open research data activities.
	Supporting Documentation: Creating and publishing tutorials, guides, and how-tos for collaborators or a wider audience.
Actions	Data and File Management: Research tools, Fix, Download, Backup (Subactions: to tape, disk, or server), Archive, Setup.
	Internal Data Documentation: Metadata creation/editing, Documentation (Subactions: Procedures, Glossary, Codebook, etc.).
	Data Sharing and Publishing: Research tools, Decision making, Metadata editing, Documentation, Data index, GitLab setup.
	Data Stewardship: Define FAIR goals, Project examination, FAIR cycles, Post-FAIR reviews.
	Supporting Documentation: Research, Write, Publish, Stakeholder assessment.