Improving Project Sustainability through Training
The people who develop and maintain research software have a number of roles, each of which requires a set of competencies, ranging from software-focused work in design, implementation, testing, and optimization to user-focused work such as documentation, support, and training to community-focused work such as outreach and engagement to business-focused work such as project management, fundraising, and reporting. Each competency is based on a set of skills, which can apply to multiple competencies. No one starts with all the skills they need, or is competent in all the areas they need to be. Much skill development happens today via mentoring and on-the-job training, as well as more formal training.
CORSA hypothesizes that the skill development process would benefit from the availability of more training materials and training opportunities, and additional coordination in creating, maintaining, and delivering training. The intent of this BoF is to discuss:
- This hypothesis
- What training material is currently available, and from whom
- Gaps, particularly around competencies that are not software-focused but are essential to sustaining research software projects
- The potential audience for such training
- Willingness of projects and their members to get involved in creating, maintaining, and delivering training material
- Opportunities for collaboration with other groups outside of CASS that have shared interests in software-related training
Presenters
- Daniel S. Katz (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
- Gregory R. Watson (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)