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WP 1&2 Policy Coordination & Integration

Summary of progress towards objectives

The project coordinator oversees all coordination activities and interactions with major stakeholders. The Policy & Science Board, serving as the interface between the project development and the political decision domains, is established with representatives of nineteen countries and eight scientific networks. Three new countries joined the project and are represented in the Board. At this stage, no country has made an unequivocal commitment to support the LifeWatch construction.
Coordination progress within the project and with outside stakeholders are directed at the internal project coordination, the EU Member and Associated States, the scientific community, and the related ESFRI projects in the environmental and biomedical sectors. A common platform of the environmental Preparatory Phase projects is established.
The results of work packages are integrated in a single Master Plan which will evolve through the life time of the preparatory project. Intermediate versions will show how the project is progressing and point out the crucial issues to be addressed in the Policy & Science Board. The first version of the Master Plan was delivered before the meeting of the policy & Science Board in December 2008.
The external relationships of LifeWatch are not only focussed on publicity, but also to establish cooperation with stakeholders, the most relevant European ESFRI PP projects and FP7 projects. In agreement with GEOSS, the LifeWatch project in cooperation with the FP7 EBONE project will constitute the European contribution to the GEO BON component of GEOSS. 

WP3 Scientific Network Strategy

Summary of progress towards objectives

Establishment of the scientific network structure of the Life Watch research infrastructure with respect to:

• the relationships with research facilities, scientific networks and biodiversity data providers and other European level infrastructure providers;
• its impact on scientific development;
• its services to society

Results provide mainly input for WPs 2, 4, 5, and 7.

An analysis of the science network environment of LifeWatch and the relationships between networks has been made, which identifies LifeWatch's own position among other infrastructures. The analysis also indicates that LifeWatch needs to articulate more clearly its differentiation from GBIF and other IT networks and its connections to the taxonomic collections networks.
A network contact database was developed and installed.
A strategy to connect to the biodiversity data providing networks was developed. It is proposed to establish long term commitment through a ‘shareholder' engagement. Active participation in the process will be promoted through the engagement in a data providers platform. This will be aided by the WP3 questionnaire (started in January 2009) and some dedicated workshops (the first was held in April 2009).
The topics "Impact on scientific development" and "Services to society" will be covered in the projects years 2 and 3.

Significant results

Analysis of the science network environment of LifeWatch
 
The relationships between data delivering networks and LifeWatch was analysed primarily on basis of the scope of LifeWatch. The aims of sixteen networks have been analysed, allowing visualizing the position of LifeWatch among these networks in a multidimensional perspective corresponding to the different categories of criteria (size/duration of network, socio-economic compartment, scientific integration, data domain).

An analysis on basis of all criteria taken together (see figure) shows a strong separation into four major groups of networks. The networks primarily cluster according to their major science discipline, i.e. terrestrial ecology, marine ecology or taxonomic and collection issues. The larger overarching networks (data aggregators as GBIF) cluster together to the side of these discipline-oriented networks with LifeWatch in the centre.

In the overall multidimensional analysis, as well as in the analyses according to criteria groups, LifeWatch typically clusters with ILTER and GBIF. This indicates that a more refined analysis with better articulated criteria is needed to indicate the specific role of LifeWatch.
In summary, the multidimensional analyses showed that the clear niche for LifeWatch can be made visible for science-policy issues, yet LifeWatch needs to articulate more clearly its differentiation from its data resources, GBIF and other IT networks and its connections to the taxonomic collections networks.

Strategy to connect to the biodiversity data providing networks

In the organisations holding high resolution biodiversity data, often obtained at individual or institution level, data sharing can be a sensitive issue. The high resolution datasets are considered valuable and ownership and IPR should be safeguarded. Likewise a proper recognition of the authors of the databases must be secured. The long-term commitment of data providers should be established through a shareholder engagement implying active participation in the process.
In order to promote the engagement of the data providers from observatories and natural history collections and safeguard the bottom-up input of data, WP3 organises an open discussion with the networks, taking into account that contributors have scientific or financial interests in participation. This process will be aided by the WP3 questionnaire (started in January 2009) and some dedicated workshops (first one was held in April 2009). This is organized in cooperation with GBIF, a major data provider for LifeWatch.
 
In the workshops the coordinators and leaders of Science Networks will be invited to prepare a Data Providers Platform (DPP), and to address a number of issues such as:

• a policy on data ownership: Will LifeWatch itself also own data or only curate and facilitate data traffic and data processing through software tools, or leave this to the external resources and establish data sharing agreements? Who will be owner and repository of validated, integrated analysed data?
• the services expect to be delivered LifeWatch (data & tools management, data & tools integration)
• quality assurance, ultimately arranged in a protocol to be controlled.
• criteria/procedures/protocols for quality and integration of components (data, databases, observatories, collections)
• models for national funding (as input for WP4 and WP6)

WP4 Legal Organisation

Summary of progress towards objectives

This work package prepares the formal organisation of the future infrastructure and brings the project to the level of legal maturity required for the Construction Phase.
 
Proper tender procedures and contracts for subcontracting in all WPs of the Preparatory Phase were reviewed, and advice was provided in specific cases.
The identification of an appropriate legal framework for the establishment of the LifeWatch legal infrastructure and for the cooperation of countries involved did not yet result in a clear picture. Depending on EC regulation providing a common legal framework for European research infrastructures (ERIs), the problems may reduce to finding legal solutions for arranging the legal relations with distributed entities not being part of the legal LifeWatch legal entity. Important update May 2009
An initial report was released on potential issues regarding intellectual property rights, copyright, sensitive data, e.g. licensing schemes and access and dissemination conditions, with regards to software systems and data repositories.

Significant results

The most important result after the first project year is that the project partners and stakeholders have a clearer picture of the legal issues. However, this also implies that the project identified big issues that need to be resolved. The project has a general view on the approach to follow for the distributed LifeWatch infrastructure, which is a significant result. The challenge now is to analyse how this approach is compatible with the proposed ERI Regulation. An encouraging result is also that all distributed preparatory phase projects agreed to work together on these issues. Another significant result of this reporting period is the first analysis report with respect to IPR issues on data and software.

WP5 Construction plan strategy

Summary of progress towards objectives

WP 5 comprises all technical planning issues related to the preparation of the Life Watch IT infrastructure:

• Technical relationship with international infrastructures, such as GBIF and GEO-BON.
• Investigating the current and potential state of infrastructure technologies.
• Planning of the Construction Phase, including investigating the potential and current state of new technologies.
• Identification of industrial partnerships.
• Analysis and supervision of work on Technical Specifications and of the Technical Case Studies.

Coordination of the Construction Plan with technical and pilot projects which are directly supported by national states and other stakeholders. Remark: The Preparatory Phase includes a number of technical and pilot projects which are directly supported by national states and other stakeholders and not part of this.

Considerable progress has been made towards the outlined objectives:

• The current and potential state of infrastructures technologies of GBIF and other existing networks and infrastructures has been investigated. Existing technologies for data management, data aggregation, analysis and modelling were reviewed.
• Showcases were indentified for biodiversity themes based on interviews with scientists and on publications. These showcases allow for defining biodiversity research capabilities and ICT technical capabilities that are the cornerstones for the definition of the LifeWatch IT infrastructure.
• Investigation of potential solutions offered by Collaborative Networks to the LifeWatch infrastructure and its organisational set-up is in progress.
• A comprehensive Reference Model for the LifeWatch ICT infrastructure as a service-oriented architecture has been drafted. The LifeWatch Reference Model is based on the ORCHESTRA Reference Model that itself builds on international standards for distributed processing and geospatial computing, including the EU INSPIRE directive. The Reference Model provides guidelines for the specification and implementation of the LifeWatch ICT infrastructure and defines a number of generic information models and services.
• Contact with EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-sciencE) has been established to ensure inclusion of LifeWatch requirements in the development of the e-infrastructures.
• Potential industrial partnerships have been identified.

Significant results

• First version of a LifeWatch Reference Model
• Preliminary version of a Product Management Strategy as part of the Construction Plan
• Preliminary version of a state-of-the-art report to be delivered in month 14
• Relevant sections of the LifeWatch Masterplan
• Set-up of a semantics workshop to plan the handling of ontologies for LifeWatch

WP6 Financial Plan

Summary of progress towards objectives

• Reassessment of the costs of the research infrastructure with respect to Construction and Operation.
• Preparation of the agreement between countries on budget contributions through time.
• Cost recovery and business model.

In the first year the work in WP6 has focussed on the general structure of the Financial Plan and principal questions which are independent of the exact design and content of the infrastructure.
 
Topics which have been addressed include:

• The balance between centrally managed, coordinated and financed components of the infrastructure and nationally managed and financed, more or less independent components.
• Comparison with the financing and management structures of four selected international infrastructures, and analysis of aspects which are relevant for the construction and operation of LifeWatch.
• Identification of important stakeholders, in addition to the European research community as the primary stakeholder and end user
• Principles for national and other contributions to a central budget
• Principles for valuation of in-kind contributions
• Opportunities for support from EU Structural Funds and other funds
• The possible role of the European Investment Bank
• Estimate of the total annual European investment in biodiversity related activities relevant to LifeWatch. 

Significant progress has been made. An outline of a Financial Plan was presented and discussed with the LifeWatch Policy and Science Board. A meeting with country representatives to discuss alternative arrangements for financial contributions has been prepared. A "LifeWatch financial and legal workshop" and was held April 28, 2009. The further development of the Financial Plan for LifeWatch is dependent on the legal framework selected for the infrastructure, and on input from other WPs about the specific access, services and tools which are to be provided.

Significant results

The Financial Plan outline presents general considerations which are relevant for the financing of LifeWatch, but independent of the exact design, legal framework and content of the infrastructure since these parameters not yet are settled in detail.
It is suggested that the distributed infrastructure LifeWatch shall be led from a central secretariat with mandate and resources necessary for an efficient coordination and operation. The central secretariat shall have a secured long-term funding from participating countries.
LifeWatch shall provide access to virtual and physical services, tools and facilities located in different member countries. These services, tools and facilities can be at least partly operated at national level and financed directly from national sources, by service contracts, bench fees and any other incomes directly related to the service provided. The long-term funding should initially be secured at a minimum level by direct national contributions, or a combination of direct national contributions and central funding.
The development of the final financial plan for LifeWatch is dependent on the legal framework selected for the infrastructure, a qualified estimate of the number of partners, and input from other WPs about the specific access, services and tools which are to be provided.

WP7 Service Plan

Summary of progress towards objectives

• Identification of and engagement with major user sectors and other stakeholders
• Establishment of a plan for the User Platform
• Identification of the requirements for a Service Programme, including training and fellowship opportunities
• Development of a plan for the Life Watch Service Centre
• Development of a Public Relations and Marketing Plan for the Construction Phase

The development of the Service Centre plan is closely linked to work in other WPs, particularly: WP3 - definition of position and location of physical and virtual service structures; WP5 - technical planning including data, tools applications and portals and virtual laboratories; and WP9 - public relations activities during the preparatory phase.
The final product of WP7 will be a document that describes the Service Plan for the LifeWatch Infrastructure construction and operational phase. Considerable progress has been made towards the objectives:

• Achievement of an updated overview of main actors and users of biodiversity related e-infrastructures at EU level, with a special focus on scientific initiatives but extending also to related fields, such as health, economic and ecosystem management. Identification of first stakeholders to engage and of existing infrastructures to collaborate with. Development of a user questionnaire to identify main requirements and needs.
• First definition of user platform specifications. It may be reported that external EU biodiversity initiatives asked specific LifeWatch services for their operations. Contacts have been established to promote collaboration and discussion: Aurora Borealis, ANAEE (Analysis and experimentation on ecosystems), Evoltree.
• The preparation of a first draft of the service centre plan table of contents, after a study of existing infrastructures at national and international level, and interviews with representatives of different stakeholder categories. Definition of services and functions of the LifeWatch infrastructure inserted in the questionnaire, which will be used for a public survey at EU level. 
• First inputs and ideas for show cases, biodiversity research capabilities and product management strategy, to be developed further during the next reporting period.

Significant results

The main results obtained:

• stakeholders groups definition
• a first list of functions of LifeWatch services
• a first draft of services to provide
• a first draft of the table of contents of the service centre plan
• a first list of specifications of the user platform 
• Service Centre sections of the LifeWatch Master Plan

WP8 Risk Assessment & Quality Control

Summary of progress towards objectives

Risk assessment and quality management during the preparatory phase. Detailed study of risk assessment and quality management that will be used during the construction and operation phases of the Life Watch research infrastructure

Objective one: Independent views on risk and quality aspects on partnership

The WP8 partners assessed the risks and quality gaps in the different work packages through discussions, workshops and face-to-face interviews with project participants, which were held during management meetings. This work was done in close interaction with WP1 and WP2.
WP1 and WP8 met regularly to further define the needs and the strategy to be adopted so that WP8 fully integrates in the project as a tool for the management and the work packages. The aim is to offer support in handling problematic situations and preventing risks.
WP8 established awareness on the notions of risks and quality, using participative approach to receive information from partners as to ensure ownership of the contents. One-to-one meetings were conducted formally and informally with WPs to gain essential knowledge about their respective organizations and their work packages.
The activities of the WP8 allowed WP8 and WP1 to address issues that will be included in the revised Quality Assurance and Risk Assessment (QARA) document (Milestone 8).
In the last five months of the reporting period the number of meetings and teleconferences between WP8 and the other collaborators of the LifeWatch project increased. The intensified communication will allow early detection and mitigation strategies both at work package level and at consortium level.
 
Recommendations on risk and quality aspects on partnership
WP8 recommended quality and metrics tools for the partnership to integrate information on quality aspects in the form of a guideline for use during the preparatory phase and through a 2 hours' workshop on risks and quality in Istanbul management board meeting in December 2008.
 
WP8 assessed the potential risks of each work package and included identified risks and propositions for mitigation strategies in a Risk analyses table (released as Milestone 8 documents for the project meetings in Istanbul conference, December 2008).
 
Further work will be produced during the next reporting period based on additional feedback from the consortium on the risks identified, resulting in an updated version of the Milestone 8 by May 2009.
 
Objective two:  Provide interested countries with assessment reports on risk management for the construction and operational phase

Assessment reports are to be produced during the second year of the preparatory project and WP8 has used the reporting period to get a good understanding of the international environment of the project as well as the different circumstances in each country. Reports will be proposed upon expressed interest of the countries/partners and have not been done during the reporting period.
The QARA document (Quality Assurance & Risk Assessment) with recommendations for mitigation strategies was presented to the Policy & Science Board in December 2008, Istanbul. The project management suggested a light-weight version of the document with respect to the preparatory phase and to apply the experiences in a more detailed plan for the construction and the operational phases. WP8 will accordingly adapt the documents to the various layers of activity in and outside LifeWatch.
 
Reports to be used in preparing possible agreements with the European Investment Bank
WP8 assists WP6 in defining risks and mitigation strategies for the financial planning. The outcomes will be used by WP6 in its future negotiations with the EIB. The reports established will also assist in the general financial strategy of the project.

Significant results

• Knowledge dissemination about quality assurance and risks
  All partners have an understanding about the use of the quality assurance and the risk assessment and are aware of the tools at their disposal. 
• Quality Assurance Plan
  The original Quality Assurance Plan for the preparatory phase was based on ISO 9001:2000 in order to familiarize the project partners with the use of such a tool. The consortium decided not to use the ISO format for the preparatory phase but to consider it for the construction and operational phases. Certification at certain layers and with certain standards (ISO, CMMI, Hermes, Prince 2...) are studied. This will help the LifeWatch management committee to define the future strategy for the construction and implementation phases. 
• Definition of the quality and risk work package strategy for achieving results in the preparatory phase
  WP8 started assisting the work packages and the management committee during the preparatory phase in order to adapt LifeWatch strategy to internal and external factors influencing the project. 
• Risks analyzed and mitigation strategy   
  Different approaches were suggested to the consortium and the management with respect to appropriate user-oriented tools and responding to the partners' identified needs. WP8 created a synergy between the work packages so that layers of risks and problems of quality (especially standardization of documents and internal review procedures) are clearly identified and strengthened during the construction phase of the LifeWatch project.

WP9 Public Relations

Summary of progress towards objectives

The progress of work in the other work packages of this preparatory project is going to attract the interest of different audiences. WP9 deals with communicating the progress and results of all work packages to all (potential) interested audiences, and to organise feed-back mechanisms in the interest of the preparatory work. More specifically the objectives are:

• Dissemination of public information flows about the Life Watch project to different audiences during the preparatory phase.
• Promotion of good-will, and organising feedback from external audiences to project partners and other stakeholders.
• Preparation and delivery of a publicity and marketing plan for the construction phase.

During this first year of the preparation phase the communication main audiences have been the scientific community and the biodiversity policy making community. These have been kept up-to-date mainly via the website and occasionally via short publications, e.g. a couple of articles in the EDIT Newsletter. 
At the beginning of the second year of the preparatory phase, a questionnaire will be sent out to a massive European mailing list of researchers and policy makers in the field of biodiversity. For a number of them, this will be their first contact with LifeWatch, and they will be encouraged to sign up for the electronic newsletter. As from the second year, this electronic newsletter will be sent out and additional communities will be targeted, e.g. the academic community where it is important to get in touch with young scientists.
Personal contacts with the existing networks of excellence, e.g. MarBEF, will result in a systematic information exchange once LifeWatch starts producing news on a regular basis. Two explicit feedback initiatives will be undertaken: the aforementioned questionnaire will deliver important information on the expectations people have about LifeWatch. WP9 will also - by way of experiment - set up a blog on the LifeWatch service centre expectations and opinions. When successful, it will again deliver inmportant feedback.
By being present at European and other biodiversity and research infrastructure meetings and conferences, LifeWatch will attract more and more visibility and attention. In order to facilitate this presence, a pop-up booth has been purchased. This booth can be easily set-up and dismantled by one single person, and will make it possible to represent LifeWatch in a professional and stylish manner. An important conference will be the e-Biosphere 2009 conference in London, June 2009. At this conference, LifeWatch will be presenting a large number of papers, and it will be present at the exhibition and the poster area.
The PR and publicity plan for the construction (and operational) phase is futher being developed in parallel with ongoing activities and will be a continuation and expansion of these existing initiatives. A crucial role will again be fulfilled by the portal website.

Significant results

WP 9 has produced a number of deliverables to make sure the visual image of LifeWatch is consistent throughout the project: 

• LifeWatch flyer: very brief and concise overview of LifeWatch on 9x21cm flyer (open: A4 size).
• LifeWatch posters
• LifeWatch corporate profile brochure
• LifeWatch website
• LifeWatch PowerPoint presentation
• LifeWatch corporate video