OSTrails FAIR Assessment - Conceptual Requirements

This document provides the set of rules, processes, and templates that help communities to create, in a transparent and reusable manner, the conceptual components of the FAIR assistance/assessment framework. It establishes a systematic process through which community representatives can articulate how each FAIR Principle should be interpreted within their disciplinary and digital object context, and how those interpretations should be operationalised in assessment. The creation of a FAIR benchmark requires not only detailed knowledge of a community’s (meta)data structures, but also a transparent and accountable interpretation of how the FAIR Principles are defined, implemented, and tested. While communities typically possess strong expertise in their own data structures, the formalisation of FAIR requirements in a consistent and reusable manner can be challenging. By capturing narrative requirements in a standardised format, the framework enables clarity in how FAIR claims are defined, measured, and evaluated. It promotes transparency in FAIR assessment behaviour, facilitates reuse and comparability of metrics across communities, and strengthens accountability in the interpretation of FAIR principles. The resulting document serves as a foundation for creating the conceptual components of an Assessment Interoperability Framework (e.g., benchmarks and associated metrics), supporting consistent and transparent FAIR assessment and assistance services.