Background
In 2017, the IODE agreed to join with the AtlantOS/ODIP/RCN Best Practices Working Group (BPWG) to work towards an enhanced global best practices repository. The existing IODE OceanDataPractices repository OceanDataPractices project (main partners IODE/WMO/JCOMM/ICES), established through Recommendation IODE-XXII.19 as a deliverable of the IODE Steering Group for Ocean Data Standards and Best Practices Project (ODSBP) http://www.oceandatastandards.org/ was identified as the permanent, sustainable repository option. The name of the IODE repository was changed to OceanBestPractices to reflect the ‘all ocean-related’ best practices broader remit. The OceanBestPractices Repository was developed into a System and in 2019 the Ocean Best Practices System was approved as a UNESCO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Project, jointly funded by the IODE and GOOS Programmes.
The IOC Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS) supports the archiving and interlinking of documents describing ocean research/data collection methods and catalyses the creation of best practices. It includes 1. the permanent repository, hosted by IODE, enhanced with natural-language processing capabilities, coupled with semantic interoperability solutions and metadata indexing; 2. a peer review journal publishing outlet; 3. a strong community engagement strategy; and 4. a training resource leveraging community capability organized through the Ocean Teacher Global Academy and other training organizations. Together, these capacities are improving the discoverability of ocean methods and best practices and will, eventually, link them to the data and information they generate.
Objectives
The Ocean Best Practices System has the following strategic objectives:
- Sustain the globally recognized and trusted system for the promotion, enhancement, visibility and use of ocean best practices and standards.
- Curate this system for easy and effective development, use and dissemination of ocean best practices and standards that are fit-for-purpose; the OPBS should be responsive to community needs.
- Serve as a catalyst for the adoption and creation of ocean best practices and standards through various means including community engagement and capacity development.
Establishment
The Project was established through Decision IOC-XXX/7.2.1 (IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange) adopted at the 30th Session of the IOC Assembly (June/July 2019): (extract of relevant parts of the Decision shown only):
III
Establishment of the IOC Ocean Best Practices System Project (OBPS)
Recalling Recommendation IODE-XXII.19 for the establishment of the IODE Clearing House Service for Data/Information Management Practices Project, which replaced the JCOMM Catalogue of Best Practices,
Recognizing that:
(i) the dissemination and use of rigorously tested best practice methods in ocean observing promote and facilitate activity within and across disciplinary boundaries of ocean science,
(ii) IODE has successfully established a permanent repository offering the scientific community a platform to publish their ocean-related best practices and find practices of others using innovative search and access technology, a peer review journal publishing outlet and community forum, and a training resource leveraging community capabilities,
(iii) IOC and JCOMM have established close, efficient and effective collaboration in ocean best practices,
Noting that the Ocean Best Practices System Repository (OBPS-R) of best practices will support all IOC programmes and contribute to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustinable Development and UN Sustainable Development Goals by providing a permanent curated archive of best practices in ocean sciences,
Noting further that within the context of the project, a best practice is defined[1] as a methodology that has repeatedly produced superior results relative to other methodologies with the same objective; to be fully elevated to a best practice, a promising method will have been adopted and employed by multiple organizations,
Noting also that best practices can be in many forms including standard operating procedures, manuals, etc.,
Decides to:
(i) establish the IOC Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS) as a joint IODE-GOOS project with the terms of reference as attached in Annex 2 to this decision;
(ii) establish the IOC Steering Group for the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS) project with the terms of reference as attached in Annex 3 to this decision;
Urges Member States to actively participate in the OBPS project by submitting relevant community practices on ocean observation, data management, products and services, and by promoting the use of practices contained in the OBPS at the national, regional and global level;
Invites
relevant stakeholders to contribute community practices and collaborate with the OBPS.
Annex 2 to IOC-XXX, Dec. 7.2.1
Terms of Reference of the IOC Ocean Best Practices System Project (OBPS)
Objectives: The objectives of this project are to:
(i) Increase efficiency, reproducibility and interoperability of the entire ocean observing value chain by providing the community with a unified, sustained and readily accessible knowledge base of interdisciplinary best practices;
(ii) Provide coordinated and sustained global access to best practices in ocean observing to foster innovation and excellence by developing a system and engaging ocean observing communities in a joint and coordinated effort in producing, reviewing and sustaining best practice documents.
Annex 3 to IOC-XXX, Dec. 7.2.1
Terms of Reference of the IOC Steering Group for the Ocean Best Practices System (SG-OBPS)
Objectives: The SG-OBPS will have the following Terms of Reference:
(i) Propose the vision, strategy, work plan and timetable for the Ocean Best Practices System Project;
(ii) Advise on technical aspects such as user interface, back office, etc. to the project technical task team;
(iii) Report to the IOC and to other partners on the progress of the Ocean Best Practices System Project;
(iv) Provide guidance to the project manager and project technical manager;
(v) Identify funding sources to further develop the OBPS.
Membership: The Steering Group will be composed, inter alia, of:
(i) Representatives from IOC Programmes and JCOMM;
(ii) Project Manager/Chief Editor;
(iii) Project Technical Manager;
(iv) Invited Experts from the ocean observing community;
(v) Representatives of the IODE and GOOS Secretariats.
Members of the Steering Group
[1] Following a review of the literature by OBPWG, a definition of best practices was agreed by consensus of ocean observing community participants at the Evolving and Sustaining Ocean Best Practices Workshop in November 2017 See: Simpson, P., Pearlman, F. and Pearlman J. (eds) (2018) Evolving and Sustaining Ocean Best Practices Workshop, 15–17 November 2017, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Paris, France: Proceedings. AtlantOS/ODIP/OORCN Ocean Best Practices Working Group (OBPWG), 74pp .DOI: 10.25607/OBP-3
Governance
The Project is managed by a Steering Group (MEMBERSHIP). The Co-Chairs are Rene Garello and George Petihakis (since SG-OBPS-IV, 2 December 2022). Jay Pearlman and Johannes Karstensen are Past Co-Chairs (since SG-OBPS-IV, 2 December 2022).
Activities
VISION
A future where there are agreed and broadly adopted methods across ocean research, operations and applications.
MISSION
Sustain an evolving system which fosters collaboration, consensus building, and innovation by providing coordinated and global access to best practices and standards across ocean sciences and applications.
The IOC Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS) supports the archiving and interlinking of documents describing ocean research/data collection methods and catalyses the creation of best practices. The OBPS includes
- the permanent repository, hosted by IODE, enhanced with natural-language processing capabilities, coupled with semantic interoperability solutions and metadata indexing;
- a peer review journal publishing outlet;
- a training resource leveraging community capability organized through the Ocean Teacher Global Academy and other training organizations;
- a strong community engagement strategy
Together, these capacities are improving the discoverability of ocean methods and best practices and will, eventually, link them to the data and information they generate.
- Details
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Created on: Tuesday, 21 November 2017 12:01
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Last Updated on: Wednesday, 04 January 2023 14:17
