labElephant: A Metadatabase Application for Managing the Research Endeavor

Presentation given as part of the RDS Holz Brown Bag series, April 2016.

Transcript

1. labElephant:+A+Metadatabase+Applica2on+for+ Managing+the+Research+Endeavor+ + Robert+A.+Haworth,+PhD+|+Dis2nguished+Scien2st+Emeritus|+UWEMadison+ +
2. labElephant:+A+Metadatabase+ Applica2on+for+Managing+the+ Research+Endeavor+ + Robert'A.'Haworth'PhD' UW'Dis4nguished'Scien4st'Emeritus'
3. Challenges'faced'by'the'Principal'Inves4gator' ' !  Keeping'track'of'the'literature' !  Keeping'track'of'experiments' !  Integra4ng'records'of'thought'and'experimenta4on' !  Managing'the'data/publica4on'interface' !  Managing'the'lab:'people,'materials,'methods' !  Making'discoveries!'
4. Flowchart'of'the'research'endeavor'
5. How'can'soLware'promote'the'discovery' process?' !  labArchives:'“Chance'favors'the' organized'lab”' !  Louis'Pasteur:'“In'the'fields'of' observa4on'chance'favors'only'the' prepared'mind”' !  labElephant'aims'to'promote'the' prepared'mind,'as'well'as'the' organized'lab'
6. How'does'labElephant'promote'the' discovery'process?' !  labElephant+stokes+the+blue+circle:+ !  Promotes'the'gaining'of'knowledge'from'the'literature,'and'keeps'track'of'it' !  Promotes'personal'recall'and'sharing'of'knowledge'gained'from'the' literature' !  Promotes'hypothesis'forma4on'for'experiments,'by'issue'addressed' !  Keeps'track'of'experiments'and'data,'including'by'issue'addressed'' !  Integrates'records'of'thought'and'experimenta4on' !  labElephant+manages+the+housekeeping+too:' !  Manages'the'data/publica;on'interface' !  Manages'the'lab:'people,'materials,'methods,'IP'protec4on'
7. labElephant'leverages'what'already'exists'' !  Endnote/Reference'Manager'bibliography'soLware' !  MicrosoL'Office'soLware' !  Lab'folder'file'structure'' !  Lab'server'security' !  Keeps'data'files'in'place' !  Accommodates'data'from'proprietary'soLware' !  Use'on'PCs,'or'on'Macs'using'Boot'Camp'or'Parallels' !  Remote'access'for'PCs'or'Macs'through'Citrix'server' !  Consequent'simplicity,'portability,'low'cost'
8. labElephant'Beta'test'expansion' !  To'test'the'soLware'in'a'wider'user'environment' !  To'gain'addi4onal'feedback'on'features'and'needs' !  To'allow'any'remaining'bugs'to'emerge'before'wider'distribu4on' !  To'test'usage'of'labElephant'website'(under'construc4on)'for'license' maintenance' !  Beta'tester'agrees'to'communicate'this'informa4on' !  First'5'Beta'test'volunteers'will'receive'a'free'license'for'life,'free' training' !  Sign'up'today'if'interested!' !  Or'contact'Rob'Haworth:'haworth@surgery.wisc.edu'(608)'833'3305'
9. Flowchart'of'labElephant'
10. How'can'soLware'promote'the'discovery' process?' !  The'“genera4on'effect”'(ac4ve' recollec4on):'“The'mental'act'of' genera4on'improves'people’s' ability'to'carry'out'ac4vi4es'that…' require'conceptual'reasoning'and' requisite'deeper'cogni4ve' processing”' !  “Decisiondsupport'applica4ons' work'best'when'they'deliver' per4nent'informa4on'without' recommending'specific'courses'of' ac4on”'