Big Research Data Management Needs of Researchers at a Research- Intensive University - A Qualitative Study

Big Research Data Management (BRDM) infrastructure is a complex socio-technical system. The design and provision of effective BRDM services at research universities require a multipronged examination of individual, social, technical, and larger contextual (i.e., campus, state, and national context) aspects of the BRDM infrastructure needs and uses of their users. Although there is a significant body of literature on BRD already, an in-depth, theory-driven examination of researchers’ needs for BRDM services on university campuses and the challenges and hurdles they face in using and managing BRD is lacking. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research on university administrators’ motivation for providing BRD services on their campuses and the hurdles and barriers they face in providing those services.This study aims to contribute to the literature by investigating the BRD-related needs of researchers from different fields and the barriers and challenges to designing and providing such support at a research university. The ongoing Health Data Science Initiative (HDSI) of Florida State University and user interviews are used as the data sources of this study. The study is guided by activity theory to investigate the complex structure of activities and factors that make BRDM infrastructure successful on university campuses.When completed, the study will inform the design of BRDM infrastructure and services on university campuses by providing an evidence base for the perspectives and needs of BRD creators, users, curators, and policymakers. In particular, by understanding the BRDM requirements of researchers, university administrators can provide effective and user-centered BRDM solutions to them.