Lost in Collaboration? Soft Infrastructure for Effective RDM Working Groups - Addressing the Challenges of Cross-Disciplinary RDM through Facilitation in RDA and NFDI Sections

Cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential in research data management (RDM), but anyone involved in community-building efforts knows that simply bringing people together does not guarantee success. The key to making these collaborations effective lies in soft infrastructure [1] – the processes, facilitation mechanisms, structures and networks that help communities work efficiently, navigate challenges, and drive impact. While technical infrastructure ensures data can be stored, shared, and processed, soft infrastructure provides the organizational glue that enables sustainable cooperation. The Research Data Alliance (RDA) and the German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) both operate in this space but on different scales and with different structures. RDA is an international initiative which brings together experts from diverse disciplines and institutions across the globe to develop solutions for research data challenges. NFDI, by contrast, is a national effort designated to create a coordinated research data infrastructure within Germany, with dedicated Sections that focus on cross-cutting topics relevant to multiple domains. Despite these differences, both share a "bottom-up" approach to the organization's overall activities, and both also consequently face a common challenge: ensuring that their working groups and cross-disciplinary initiatives are not just well-intended gatherings but productive spaces that lead to tangible results. Though they have similarities, a key distinction lies in how these initiatives approach facilitation. The Horizon Europe-funded RDA TIGER project [2] has introduced a professional Facilitation Service to RDA. RDA TIGER Facilitators actively support RDA Working Groups (WGs), accompanying them through the WG life cycle towards clear outcomes by providing structured moderation, strategic input, and coordination expertise. NFDI, in contrast, is still in the process of defining effective facilitation strategies for its Sections. One emerging approach is the installment of Section Liaison Officers within Base4NFDI [3],[4], tasked with fostering collaboration and supporting groups in navigating the complex landscape of NFDI Basic Services. However, this role is still evolving, and the best practices for Section facilitation are not yet fully established. Both the RDA TIGER Facilitation Service and proposed Section Liaison Officers aim to support the effective implementation of existing protocols and workflows, refining these where necessary and ensure that structures and workflows can be implemented in an effective way. An exchange between RDA and NFDI could be highly beneficial. RDA TIGER Facilitators and NFDI Section Liaison Officers can learn from each other, leveraging the experience of RDA's structured facilitation while adapting it to the specific needs of NFDI. At the same time, stronger coordination between these initiatives could help avoid redundancy and parallel discussions, ensuring that international and national efforts in RDM remain complementary rather than fragmented. Additionally, the session aims to highlight why soft infrastructure is an essential but often overlooked component of research data management. Effective facilitation does not happen by itself, and without it, collaboration risks stagnation. For researchers, RDM professionals, and infrastructure coordinators, this session will provide insights into improving facilitation strategies and strengthening the mechanisms that support productive, cross-disciplinary work. Soft infrastructure might be invisible, but its impact is tangible – it is what turns collaboration into lasting progress.