CGIAR Recipe:
Assess FAIR data

How to monitor FAIR outcomes by assessing data assets

What is FAIR Data Assessment?

Jump to recipe

 

The FAIR Data Assessment Tool will show you how FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) your dataset is. It determines the extent that the data assets generated are meeting expected FAIR outcomes. The questions about the dataset are based on the criteria used for GARDIAN scoring and levels.

 

Using this approach, provides continuity with existing practice and builds on existing assets. GARDIAN is an established FAIR data publishing platform. A higher FAIR score means the dataset is more likely to be an enduring asset.

 

Assessments also identify datasets that will be valuable beyond their original purpose.

 

Recommendations on how to improve the FAIR score of a dataset are provided for each letter criteria and can be fed back to the DMAP, setting up a continuous improvement loop throughout the lifetime of the project.

 

This video illustrates the value in routinely assessing the FAIR aspects of your data assets.

 

This segment will help you understand how to use the FAIR data assessment tool to monitor how FAIR your data assets are as you generate them.

 

Follow the tasks below to complete the FAIR Data Assessment.

Determine project dataset(s)

 

  • Determine and locate which dataset(s) being generated or used by the project are in scope for this review. The FAIR Data Assessment tool measures one dataset at a time.

Access the FAIR Data Assessment tool

 

Provide information about your dataset

 

  • Provide your information too e.g. name, email address, role and the name of the organization you belong to by pressing the button at the top of the FAIR data assessment webpage.

Complete assessment

 

  • Work through all the questions, within each of the F, A, I and R criteria by entering your answers in the input fields on the tool.
    There is supporting text to help answer questions which is accessible by clicking on the “i” symbol.
  • Once the questions have been completed, improvement tips are available by clicking on the “Want to improve?“.

View of FAIR Data Assessment tool

Access results

 

  • Once all the questions are completed, press “Print” button to access the full report; providing scores and improvement tips. The report can either be printed or saved as a PDF.

Review results

  • Review the scores for each sections (F, A, I and R) by discussing the improvement advice offered with a FAIR Advisor.
  • Sometimes a FAIR score can be unexpectedly low; if this is the case, it might be worth arranging a review to identify the root cause of a low FAIR score.

 

  • More details about FAIR principles
  • The CABI FPF Data Assessment Tool is based on original development of the DANS SATIFYD tool by: Eliane Fankhauser, Jerry de Vries, Nina Westzaan, Vesa Åkerman in 2019.
  • More details about the GARDIAN platform

Quick reference

Next activity for the FAIR data assessment workflow: Activity D3

 

  • Review the reports of the data assessments.

Next activity for the Guided FAIR workflow:

 

  • This recipe isn’t part of the Guided FAIR workflow.

Next activity for the Foundational FAIR workflow:

 

  • This recipe isn’t part of the Foundational FAIR workflow.

Next activity for the Independent FAIR workflow:

 

  • This recipe isn’t part of the Independent FAIR workflow.

Back to CGIAR workflows page.

Guided FAIR workflow

This page is not part of the Guided FAIR workflow. Visit the workflow homepage for the list of included activities.

Foundational FAIR workflow

This page is not part of the Foundational FAIR workflow. Visit the workflow homepage for the list of included activities.

Independent FAIR workflow

This page is not part of the Independent FAIR workflow. Visit the workflow homepage for the list of included activities.

FAIR data assessment workflow

Activity D1

 

  • After a data assessment request or on a planned data assessment activity, determine and locate the datasets that are within scope.

You are here > Activity D2

 

  • How to monitor FAIR data assets
  • Instructions on how to use the assessment tool with an investment’s data assets to produce a FAIR score with advice on how to improve.

Activity D3

 

  • Review the reports of the data assessments.
  • If action is required, proceed to Activity D4
  • If no action is required, proceed to Activity D5

Activity D4

 

  • How to document changes after review (review type – Root cause analysis)
  • Where FAIR assessment scores may be lower than expected, conduct a root cause analysis by checking to see if statements in the Implementation section of the DMAP have been implemented.
  • … Then proceed to Activity D5.

Activity D5

 

Was this page helpful?
YesNo