Supervisor

Oliver Resch (oliver resch ∂does-not-exist.kit edu)

Introduction:

The National Research Data Infrastructure for Energy (NFDI4Energy) project aims to revolutionize energy research through enhanced data sharing, co-simulation and collaboration. Within this ambition lies the challenge of fostering meaningful participation and interaction among users within the developed research platform. This thesis should lay a meaningful foundation by a structured investigation into the incentivization and feedback mechanisms employed by successful open data platforms, such as evaluated in [1], guided by the seven-step method for reviewing software artifacts from practice as proposed by Gnewuch et al [2]. This methodology will enable a comprehensive evaluation of user engagement strategies and their applicability to the energy research domain.

Objectives:

Conduct a systematic review of existing research collaboration platforms, focusing on the methods they use to incentivize user participation and feedback, utilizing the seven-step method developed by Gnewuch et al.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these platforms' engagement strategies, identifying best practices that could be adopted or adapted by NFDI4Energy.

Document and rate identified incentive and feedback mechanisms, providing a detailed assessment of their effectiveness and potential for implementation within energy research platforms.

Develop actionable recommendations for NFDI4Energy, aimed at integrating successful engagement strategies to enhance collaboration and user interaction on the platform.

Candidates should possess:

• Strong analytical and research skills.
• An interest for user engagement strategies.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• A proactive and innovative mindset.

Formalities:

• The thesis can be undertaken in German or English.
• Interested candidates should submit a brief letter of motivation, a CV, and a current grade transcript.
• The project is ready to commence immediately.

References

[1] Schneider, A., & Goebel, C. (2024, Februar 6). Designing a Digital Platform for Energy Systems Research – Insights from User Interviews. 1. NFDI4Energy Conference, Hanover, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10623237

[2] Gnewuch, U., & Maedche, A. (2022). Toward a Method for Reviewing Software Artifacts from Practice. In International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (pp. 337-350). Springer, Cham.